Red Sox batter Greinke to complete sweep of D-backs
BOSTON -- Zack Greinke's solid run came to a quick end.
Greinke was tagged for nine runs and three homers -- two of Mookie Betts' three in the game -- in 1 2/3 innings as the Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 16-2 rout Sunday.
Entering the day 8-0 with a 2.47 ERA in his previous 10 starts, Greinke was expected to make for a tough matchup against Boston's Rick Porcello.
"It just happened so fast I didn't realize how bad it actually was," Grenkie said after giving up his most runs since 2005.
It was the second-most he's allowed in his career. He gave up 11 in a start for Kansas City, against the Diamondbacks on June 10, 2005.
"Well, they just hit everything he threw up there," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "It was good pitches they hit. He obviously had some bad locations on some that they hit also. But it was one of those days. We've all been there. We've all been on the good side and we've all been on the bad side."
What was billed as a marquee pitching matchup turned into a rout when Greinke (11-4) was chased after 10 hits.
Michael Bourn had a solo homer and RBI single for the Diamondbacks. They had won four straight before being swept.
The Red Sox said Betts joined Hall of Famer Ted Williams, who had two three-homer games in 1957, as the only Red Sox players since 1913 to have two three-homer games in a season.
Betts' other three-homer game came against Baltimore on May 31.
Porcello became the first Red Sox pitcher in 70 years to open a season 12-0 at Fenway Park, improving his overall record to 16-3.
Betts had two chances to hit a fourth homer, but he lined out to right and then grounded out in the eighth inning. The crowd chanted "Let's Go Mookie!" before his final at-bat.
Dustin Pedroia had five hits and Jackie Bradley Jr. chipped in with a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who closed a six-game homestand at 4-2.
Porcello allowed one run on three hits over seven innings and became the first Boston pitcher since Dave "Boo" Ferriss to begin a year by winning his first 12 decisions in Fenway.
Betts' two-run homer in the first cleared the Green Monster and made it 2-0.
His second -- a three-run shot into the first row of Monster seats -- keyed a seven-run second. Bradley hit his off the Pesky Pole, and rookie Andrew Benintendi and Pedroia each drove in a run during the inning.
Betts' third homer was a three-run shot that caromed off a billboard above the Monster in a six-run fifth.
Hale said LHP Patrick Corbin would be demoted to the bullpen and Zach Godley would return to the rotation. Corbin (4-12) lost his sixth straight decision Friday, allowing eight runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Pedroia had his fifth career five-hit game, most in club history.
Recently acquired Red Sox C Bryan Holaday's preschool-age son walked over to David Ortiz in the clubhouse, looked up and asked: "Can you teach me how to hit home runs every time?"
Big Papi smiled and replied: "You want to learn how to hit home runs every time? We'll work on that."
Diamondbacks: C Welington Castillo is due back Monday from bereavement leave.
Red Sox: Bradley was in the lineup after getting Saturday off to rest and nurse a sore big toe.
Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (5-11, 4.57 ERA) faces RHP Bartolo Colon (10-6, 3.35) Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the Mets.
Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz (0-2, 5.26) is set to start when they open their four-city road trip. RHP Josh Tomlin (11-5, 4.18) goes for the Indians.
