Wilyer Abreu homered twice and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.Alex Bregman also connected as Boston rallied after managing just one run in its first two games after the All-Star break. Garrett Crochet (11-4) pitched six effective innings in his fourth consecutive win.The Red Sox went ahead to stay when Trevor Story opened the seventh with a walk and Abreu hit a drive to right-center off Ryan Pressly (2-3) for his 19th homer.Bregman broke it open with a pinch-hit shot off Drew Pomeranz for a three-run homer in the eighth. Abreu tacked on a two-out solo drive against Ethan Roberts.It was Abreu’s fourth multihomer game of the season and No. 5 for his career. He hit a total of 17 homers in his first two years in the majors.Boston improved to 12-3 in July. It had won 10 in a row going into the series.Chicago wasted a sharp performance by Cade Horton, who pitched 5 2/3 innings of two-hit ball. The Cubs had won five of six.Crochet allowed eight hits in his first start since July 12. The All-Star left-hander struck out five and walked two.Chicago scored its only run in the second. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a leadoff double and Dansby Swanson followed with an infield single. After Crow-Armstrong was caught stealing third, Swanson raced home from second on Ian Happ’s single to right.
CHICAGO —
Wilyer Abreu homered twice and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Alex Bregman also connected as Boston rallied after managing just one run in its first two games after the All-Star break. Garrett Crochet (11-4) pitched six effective innings in his fourth consecutive win.
The Red Sox went ahead to stay when Trevor Story opened the seventh with a walk and Abreu hit a drive to right-center off Ryan Pressly (2-3) for his 19th homer.
Bregman broke it open with a pinch-hit shot off Drew Pomeranz for a three-run homer in the eighth. Abreu tacked on a two-out solo drive against Ethan Roberts.
It was Abreu’s fourth multihomer game of the season and No. 5 for his career. He hit a total of 17 homers in his first two years in the majors.
Boston improved to 12-3 in July. It had won 10 in a row going into the series.
Chicago wasted a sharp performance by Cade Horton, who pitched 5 2/3 innings of two-hit ball. The Cubs had won five of six.
Crochet allowed eight hits in his first start since July 12. The All-Star left-hander struck out five and walked two.
Chicago scored its only run in the second. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a leadoff double and Dansby Swanson followed with an infield single. After Crow-Armstrong was caught stealing third, Swanson raced home from second on Ian Happ’s single to right.