BOSTON -- David Price struck out 12, Mookie Betts had a three-run homer and Xander Bogaerts had a two-run shot to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Houston Astros 11-1 on Thursday night for their season-high fifth straight win.
Jackie Bradley Jr. singled twice and extended his hitting streak to 18 games, tying the longest streak in the major leagues this season. Bogaerts had three RBIs.
Thursday was supposed to be all about the first matchup between reigning Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel and Price, last year's runner-up.
Boston's bats ensured Price (5-1) easily took this one. He rallied after a slow start and allowed a run over 6 2/3 innings to lower his ERA to 6.00.
Keuchel (2-5) gave up 10 hits and eight runs. He has allowed five or more earned runs in four of his last five starts, something he did only three times last year (see full recap).
Shields, Padres blank Brewers
MILWAUKEE -- James Shields had a season-high nine strikeouts in seven innings to lead the San Diego Padres to a 3-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night.
San Diego won its third straight game for the first time this season. Shields (2-5) allowed seven hits and one walk, Brandon Maurer pitched the eighth inning and Fernando Rodney had the ninth for his 11th save.
Philadelphia Phillies
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Melvin Upton Jr. homered for the fourth time and had three hits, two RBIs and two runs for the Padres one day after San Diego swept a doubleheader at the Chicago Cubs.
Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson (4-3) pitched a season-high eight innings and gave up two earned runs on five hits but lost for the second time in his last seven starts.
Ryan Braun extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Brewers, who are 3-6 in their last nine games (see full recap).
Yankees ride HRs to victory
NEW YORK -- Chase Headley, Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorius hit early home runs and the New York Yankees beat Kansas City 7-3 Thursday night, sending the World Series champion Royals to their 12th loss in 16 games.
Kansas City dropped three of four at Yankee Stadium. Before the game, manager Ned Yost insisted he wasn't worried about his team, saying "it's a group that doesn't panic."
Nathan Eovaldi (3-2) worked around eight hits in five innings, and overcame getting struck on the leg by Lorenzo Cain's hard one-hopper at the outset.
On Eovaldi's last pitch, Salvador Perez nearly launched a go-ahead, three-run homer, but right fielder Carlos Beltran caught the ball at the top of the wall. Eovaldi wiped his brow as he walked off the mound while Perez put both hands on the top of his helmet (see full recap).
