BOSTON — David Ortiz slugged a three-run homer off old friend Jake Peavy as the Boston Red Sox beat the San Francisco Giants 4-0 Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
Ortiz’s homer was No. 526 of his career, bringing him within eight of Jimmie Foxx for 18th place on the all-time list. It was the 40-year-old slugger’s 994th extra-base hit with the Red Sox.
Peavy, making his first start at Fenway since Boston traded him to San Francisco on July 26, 2014, lasted six innings, allowing four runs on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
Peavy (5-8) was a member of the Red Sox’s 2013 World Series championship team and the Giants’ 2014 World Series championship squad. He received a standing ovation from the Fenway faithful while throwing his second-inning warm-up pitches.
Brock Holt added a solo homer for Boston, which is a season-high-tying 13 games above .500. The Red Sox (52-39) won their fifth consecutive home game and improved to 10-3 in the month of July.
San Francisco (57-37) entered the night with the best record in the majors, but it endured its fourth defeat in a row after a surprising three-game sweep at San Diego over the weekend.
The Giants have not won a game at Fenway in four tries since moving to San Francisco in 1958. San Francisco was swept by Boston in a three-game series at Fenway from June 15-17, 2007.
Red Sox starter Rick Porcello (12-2) moved to 9-0 at home this season, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless frames while allowing four hits and two walks and striking out three.
Koji Uehara, pitching in a non-save situation in the ninth, departed after recording a strikeout on just seven pitches after suffering a pectoral strain. Tommy Layne, the fourth reliever to follow Porcello, entered and sealed Boston’s victory.
Peavy breezed through Boston’s first eight batters until Holt unloaded on a 3-2 fastball for a homer to center in the third.
Ortiz followed suit in the fourth, blasting Peavy’s offering an estimated 436 feet and well past the bullpens in right for his three-run bomb.
NOTES: San Francisco signed RHP Kyle Drabek to a minor league contract. “At our request, (he) is taking ground balls and giving us a look at him as an infielder … but we’re not ruling out his continuing with us from the mound,” Giants GM Bobby Evans told ESPN. … Giants RF Hunter Pence (right hamstring strain) and INF Joe Panik (concussion) rehabbed with Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday. … The Red Sox held a moment of silence and unity before the game. The words “We Are One” were displayed on the video board as the teams were joined on the field by police officers. “Let’s be kind to each other, and choose love,” Boston DH David Ortiz said to the crowd. … Red Sox RHP Junichi Tazawa (right shoulder impingement) threw all of his pitches during Tuesday’s simulated game and is likely to return Friday. … Giants manager Bruce Bochy walked Boston’s iconic Freedom Trail on the off day. … New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski threw a ceremonial first pitch to Ortiz. … Giants RHP Matt Cain (1-5) opposes LHP Drew Pomeranz (8-7) on Wednesday.
Pirates 3, Brewers 2
PITTSBURGH — Josh Harrison tripled in the bottom of the ninth inning and scored on the play after second baseman Scooter Gennett’s throwing error as the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Harrison drove the second pitch by reliever Tyler Thornburg (3-4) off the top of the wall in right-center field as center fielder Kirk Nieuwhenhuis failed to make a leaping catch, then kept on going as Gennett’s relay throw sailed wide of third.
Pirates closer Mark Melancon (1-1) got the win but blew a save opportunity for the second time in as many games — he’s 27 of 30 — when, with Milwaukee down to its final strike in the top of the inning, Hernan Perez singled to make it 2-all in the ninth. Ryan Braun walked to start the inning and Jonathan Lucroy singled.
Well before that, another Perez liner — this one off the head of rookie right-hander Jameson Taillon in the second — gave the Pirates a big scare but wasn’t enough to drive him from the game.
Taillon needed only 65 pitches to check the Brewers on one run and five hits in six innings, striking out three and walking none, and relievers Neftali Feliz and Tony Watson pitched a scoreless inning each.
Brewers starter Junior Guerra also pitched effectively, giving up two runs and three hits in six innings.
The Pirates missed on a chance to build on their 2-1 lead when Jordy Mercer led off the seventh with a triple, but reliever Corey Knebel put down the threat by retiring the next three batters, including strikeouts of John Jaso and Gregory Polanco.