Red Sox avoid sweep with 5-3 win over Cubs

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.

In spite of winning the last two series, the Cubs lost ground to the Milwaukee Brewers, who are riding a 10-game win streak. The two teams are in a dead heat atop the NL Central, 7 1/2 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cubs will stay at home for the opener of a three-game set against Kansas City on Monday night.



(AP Photo Paul Beaty)