Boston — Connor Wong drove in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Tuesday night despite getting held to three hits.
“It seemed like a playoff game, right? And I managed it like a playoff game,” said Boston manager Alex Cora, who used five pitchers. “I went for the win.
“We will be better. We want more than two runs, obviously, but today it was enough to win the game.”
Kiké Hernández and Trevor Story had back-to-back doubles in the third for Boston.
Zack Collins homered for the Blue Jays off starter Nathan Eovaldi.
Wong was called up from the minors Monday to replace catcher Kevin Plawecki, who went on the COVID-19 injured list.
“I think it’s a good opportunity, but the main objective is just to win, win as many games as we can, and while I’m here that’s what I’m going to do,” Wong said. “If I perform well and we win, it’s even better.”
Batting ninth and facing right-hander Yimi Garcia (0-1), Wong lofted a fly ball to right field that scored Bobby Dalbec, who opened the inning by reaching on an error by shortstop Bo Bichette.
It was Bichette’s second error of the game, his first two this season.
Collins’ home run leading off the second gave Toronto an early lead. Boston tied it the next inning on doubles by Hernández and Story off Yusei Kikuchi.
Hansel Robles (1-0) threw 1 2/3 hitless innings in relief for the win. Garrett Whitlock pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season.
Kikuchi went five innings, giving up one run on three hits with three walks and a strikeout. Eovaldi was lifted with two outs in the fifth. He allowed a run on seven hits with six strikeouts.
More games
Mets 3, Giants 1, Game 2
New York — Ex-Tiger Max Scherzer pitched no-hit ball into the sixth inning of his anticipated home debut and the New York Mets rode their $130 million ace to a 3-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night for a doubleheader sweep.
Scherzer (3-0) was overpowering for 5 2/3 innings before seeming to hit a wall. His velocity dipped and control wavered over consecutive walks to Mike Yastrzemski and Brandon Belt, and then Darin Ruf ripped an RBI single for San Francisco’s first hit.
The 37-year-old Scherzer, slowed late in spring training by a balky right hamstring, finished out the sixth and then tossed a 1-2-3 seventh. Drew Smith allowed the Giants’ only other hit in the eighth and Trevor May worked the ninth to earn his first save.
Budding Giants ace Logan Webb (1-1) was uncharacteristically wild and allowed three runs in 3 2/3 shaky innings.
Mets 5, Giants 4, Game 1
New York — Francisco Lindor lined a walk-off single in the 10th after a big stretch by Pete Alonso bailed him out in the top of the inning, and New York beat San Francisco.
Lindor’s single to center against Jarlín García (1-1) scored automatic runner Brandon Nimmo from third.
A half-inning earlier, Lindor’s throw on Thairo Estrada’s grounder pulled Alonso off the bag at first base, apparently allowing Brandon Belt to score. Replays showed Alonso just barely held the base with his right foot, and umpires overruled the safe call. That kept Adam Ottavino (1-0) in line for the win.
Nationals 6, Diamondbacks 1, Game 1
Washington — Victor Robles had Washington’s first hit, an RBI double off Madison Bumgarner with two outs in the fifth inning, and the Nationals beat Arizona in the opener of a doubleheader.
The announced crowd was 9,261, the fewest for a home game without pandemic restrictions since the team moved to Washington from Montreal for the 2005 season.
Josiah Gray (2-1) went 5 1/3 innings for Washington, allowing just one run and three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts against Arizona’s struggling lineup.
Bumgarner (0-1) gave up two unearned runs and two hits in his five innings.
Nationals 1, Diamondbacks 0, Game 2
Washington — Joan Adon became the first Washington starter to finish six innings in 2022, throwing 6 1/3 scoreless as the Nationals swept a doubleheader.
Adon (1-2), a 23-year-old right-hander making his fourth appearance in the majors, gave up three hits and walked two while striking out five.
Victor Robles singled to lead off the sixth against Arizona spot starter Tyler Gilbert (0-1) before coming around to score the lone run on a double by César Hernández.
In the ninth, Tanner Rainey put the first three batters aboard via a walk and two singles, then retired the next three for his third save.
Brewers 5, Pirates 2
Milwaukee — Corbin Burnes struck out 10 and allowed two runs in seven innings as Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh.
The Brewers had a season-low three hits but won their third straight. The Pirates had a season-low four hits.
Burnes (1-0) gave up four hits and didn’t walk anybody. Josh Hader worked the ninth for his fifth save.
JT Brubaker (0-2) allowed two hits and four runs, two earned, in five innings.
Rockies 6, Phillies 5
Denver — C.J. Cron hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the seventh inning and Colorado beat Philadelphia.
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland agreed to a $64.5 million, five-year contract with his hometown team earlier in the day and left with the lead after five innings. He gave up two runs on six hits and struck out three.
Colorado rallied from a 4-3 deficit in the seventh. Phillies reliever Seranthony Domínguez (1-1) issued a two-out walk to Charlie Blackmon and gave up a single to Kris Bryant. Cron connected off Jeurys Familia to put the Rockies back in front with his sixth home run of the season.
Justin Lawrence (1-0) got the win and Daniel Bard worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save.
Rays 6, Cubs 5
Chicago — Wander Franco hit his first homer of the season, a two-run drive to left-center in the third inning, and Tampa Bay held on to beat Chicago.
Cubs rookie Seiya Suzuki drew three walks but his nine-game hitting streak came to an end, leaving him tied with Akinori Iwamura for the longest hitting streak by a Japanese-born player to start a career.
Opener Matt Wisler got the first five outs for the Rays and Josh Fleming (2-1) worked the next 3 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Andrew Kittredge, the sixth Rays pitcher, retired the final six Chicago batters for his second save.
Justin Steele (1-1) allowed four runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Royals 4, Twins 3
Kansas City — Salvador Perez homered twice and Hunter Dozier hit another go-ahead home run to lift Kansas City over Minnesota.
Perez homered in the fourth off Chris Archer and tied the score 3-3 in the sixth when he went deep against Tyler Duffey (0-2). Out out later, Dozier hit a tiebreaking home run.
Amir Garrett (1-0) pitched 1 2/3 hitless innings, combining with four other pitchers for 4 2/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief. Josh Staumont pitched a perfect ninth for his second save in as many games.
Cardinals 5, Marlins 1
Albert Pujols had two hits and scored twice as St. Louis beat Miami.
Adam Wainwright (2-1) threw 5 2/3 effective innings, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
Tommy Edman tripled, singled and drove in two runs for the Cardinals.
Marlins’ starter Jesús Luzardo (0-1) allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Angels 7, Astros 2
Houston — Jo Adell tied a career high with three hits and Kurt Suzuki and Brandon Marsh drove in two runs each as Los Angeles beat Houston.
Los Angeles starter Patrick Sandoval allowed four hits with an unearned run in four innings. Oliver Ortega (1-1) walked one in two scoreless innings.
Framber Valdez (1-1) was tagged for six runs, eight hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.