Rafael Devers hits 2-run homer, Red Sox end Padres’ 5-game hitting streak with 4-1 win – MLB

Photo: The Canadian Press

BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a two-run homer, Jarren Duran added a solo shot and the Boston Red Sox ended the San Diego Padres’ five-game winning streak with a 4-1 victory on Sunday.

The Red Sox, who were outscored 20-3 in the first two games of the series, went on a three-game skid.

Jackson Merrill had three hits for the Padres and Ha-Seong Kim added an RBI double. San Diego has won nine of its last 10 games.

Making his first start since being recalled from Triple-A on Tuesday, Boston right-hander Josh Winckowski (2-1) gave up four hits in five scoreless innings.

“I kind of realized something down in Triple-A,” he said. “I was throwing changeups that were literally like a down ball and I almost never, ever got any swings on it, so we started throwing it in the zone all the time and it turned into a high-percentage strikeout pitch for me and I got a lot of ground balls.”

Fourth reliever Kenley Jansen got the final three outs for his 16th save of the season and 436th of his career.

Padres starter Matt Waldron (5-7) gave up four runs, three earned, in 4 1/3 innings, snapping his NL-high stretch this season of nine straight starts allowing two runs or fewer.

Waldron, the only pitcher to throw a knuckleball in the majors this year, mixed it with his fastball and sweeper at Fenway Park, where former Red Sox right-hander Tim Wakefield threw the pitch during his 17-year career in Boston.

Wakefield died last October aged 57 after a battle with brain cancer. Waldron, who was inspired as a child by Wakefield to learn knuckleball, he threw it for his first pitch Sunday.

“I know Wakefield hit the bullseye,” Waldron said, becoming emotional. “You could feel it. It was hard. At the end of the day, I have to do a job and it just hasn’t happened.”

Devers drove a fastball into the second row of the Monster seats for his 18th homer, making it 2-0 in the first.

“Some balls and some fastballs that they were able to put some barrels on,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “But overall I thought it was good. It usually gets better as the game goes on. … They had a good plan and they didn’t miss it.”

In the third, Wilyer Abreu singled with two outs, advanced to third on a single and scored when catcher Kyle Higashioka failed to handle Waldron’s knuckleball for a ball past, his first of two.

Duran’s ninth homer of the season came off a knuckleball and back onto the Pesky Pole in right field to make it 4-0 in the fifth.

“I’m so glad he threw the first pitch of the game so I can see what he looks like,” Duran said. “That thing is ugly. Kind of the game plan for me was just to see it above the eyes, because if it’s up there, hopefully it won’t move as much as if it’s down there.”

The last few innings were played under dark skies, with thunder rumbling at times in the distance, with lightning bringing the reaction from the crowd.

Seconds after the lightning struck, San Diego’s Manny Machado struck out to end a scoreless fifth, something the Red Sox were glad to see after giving up nine runs in that inning on Friday and six on Saturday.

It was the first time since 2013 that the clubs met at Fenway.

IT FOLLOWS

Padres: Open a three-game series at Texas on Tuesday. San Diego had not announced a starter. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-3, 3.45 ERA) is set to pitch for the Rangers.

Red Sox: RHP Kutter Crawford (3-7, 3.59) is in line to start Tuesday in the first of three games against Miami. RHP Valente Bellozo (0-0, 0.00) is slated for the Marlins.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb