Apr 14, 2021 3 min read

Alex Verdugo had three hits, including a two-run single in a six-run fifth inning, and the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to nine games, beating the Minnesota Twins 7-1 to sweep Wednesday’s doubleheader.

Eduardo Rodríguez (2-0) pitched five innings and gave up one run on five hits for Boston, which has come from behind in six of its nine wins this season after opening the year with three straight losses. The Red Sox have their longest winning streak since a 10-game run in 2018, a season that ended with a World Series title.

Verdugo had five hits in the doubleheader and capped the day with his second homer of the season in the seventh inning. The Red Sox won the first game 3-2.

Kansas City 6, L.A. Angels 1: Salvador Pérez homered and doubled to cap off an impressive series, leading Brad Keller and the Kansas City Royals over the Los Angeles Angels, 6-1.

A day after picking off David Fletcher at third base to end a 3-2 win, Pérez drove in two runs. The All-Star catcher went 8 for 12 with four RBIs this week against Los Angeles.

Toronto 5, N.Y. Yankees 4: Bo Bichette matched slugger Aaron Judge in the power department and got to take the final trot.

Bichette homered twice, including a game-ending drive leading off the ninth inning that lifted the Toronto Blue Jays over the New York Yankees, 5-4.

Seattle-Baltimore ppd: The Orioles and Mariners were postponed because of rain Wednesday, the teams’ second rainout in three days. They will play two seven-inning games on Thursday, starting at 12:35 p.m.

National League

San Francisco 2, Cincinnati 0: Johnny Cueto pitched neatly into the sixth inning before exiting with a tight lat muscle, and the San Francisco Giants finished off the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 Wednesday.

Cueto (2-0) removed himself from the game after fanning Nick Castellanos for the second out in the sixth. The right-hander motioned to the Giants dugout and walked to the clubhouse, accompanied by a member of the training staff.

Showing no signs of physical duress before his injury occurred, the 35-year-old Cueto surrendered three hits and walked none while striking out four.

Milwaukee 7, Chicago Cubs 0: Corbin Burnes struck out 10 in six dominant innings and also delivered a two-run single for his first career RBIs as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago Cubs, 7-0.

Burnes allowed just two hits to continue his sizzling start to the season. His bases-loaded single up the middle capped the Brewers’ four-run outburst in the sixth.

Washington 6, St. Louis 0: Joe Ross pitched six sharp innings and the Washington Nationals threw their first regular-season shutout at Busch Stadium, blanking the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-0.

Ross (1-0) improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Cardinals. He allowed four hits, struck out five and walked one. He also singled and scored a run.