Baseball: Betts, Wright Lift Red Sox

Houston — Steven Wright pitched into the seventh inning, and Mookie Betts finished a home run shy of the cycle as the Boston Red Sox beat the Houston Astros 6-2 on Friday night.

Betts tripled in the first and ninth innings, scoring both times. He had an RBI double in the second and singled and scored in the fourth. He flied out in the sixth.

Wright (1-2) had his third straight good start to begin the season, allowing one run — no earned — and four hits with six strikeouts in 6 innings. He did walk five, with Carlos Gomez scoring on a passed ball in the seventh.

The knuckleballer has gone at least six innings in each of his starts and has allowed two runs or less in each of his starts this season.

Craig Kimbrel got Carlos Correa to end the game for his fifth save.

Indians 2, Tigers 1

Detroit — Carlos Santana and Marlon Byrd homered off Justin Verlander, lifting Cleveland over Detroit.

Josh Tomlin (2-0) allowed one run and four hits over 6 innings. Zach McAllister and Bryan Shaw followed with 1 innings of scoreless relief. Cody Allen pitched the ninth, getting Miguel Cabrera to pop up in foul territory for the first out, and earned his fifth save in as many chances.

Nationals 8, Twins 4

Washington — Jayson Werth hit a home run and robbed one in left field, Gio Gonzalez pitched six-plus innings, and the Washington defeated Minnesot.

Jose Lobaton drove in three runs with a triple and a single, and National League batting leader Daniel Murphy had two more hits for first-place Washington, which has won six straight at home.

Gonzalez (1-0) enjoyed offensive support for the first time in three starts while allowing three runs — two earned — on six hits.

Athletics 8, Blue Jays 5

Toronto — Chris Coghlan hit a three-run home run, Stephen Vogt had three hits and the Athletics won their sixth straightt.

The Athletics snapped a six-game skid at Rogers Centre and set season-highs in runs and hits (14).

Yankees 6, Rays 3

New York — Jacoby Ellsbury stole home, a daring dash that seemed to startle most everyone at Yankee Stadium and helped New York rush past Tampa Bay.

Ellsbury became the first Yankees player to pull off a straight steal of home since Derek Jeter since 2001.

And Ellsbury’s timing in the fifth inning was really surprising: He took off with two outs on a full-count pitch to Brett Gardner, who let it go high for ball four.

Ellsbury added a two-run double in eighth. Brian McCann hit an early two-run homer, then sliced a tiebreaking single in the sixth as the Yankees ended a three-game losing skid.

Ivan Nova (1-0) won in relief of CC Sabathia. Dellin Betances struck all three batters in the eighth and Andrew Miller closed for his fourth save as a light sprinkle fell.

Cubs 8, Reds 1

Cincinnati — Anthony Rizzo homered for the third consecutive game on Friday night, and Jon Lester gave a fitting follow-up to Jake Arrieta’s no-hitter by going seven innings.

The Cubs improved to 13-4, the best record in the majors and one of the best starts in the last 100 years.

White Sox 5, Rangers 0

Chicago — The White Sox pulled off their first triple play in nearly 10 years to secure Jose Quintana’s scoreless outing and beat Texas.

Quintana (2-1) allowed just four hits over seven innings to help snap the Rangers’ four-game winning streak. Brett Lawrie had a two-run double in a three-run sixth off Rangers starter Martin Perez (0-2).

Royals 4, Orioles 2

Kansas City, Mo. — Chris Young struck out 10 in six innings, Mike Moustakas homered, doubled twice and drove in three runs, and Kansas City beat Baltimore.

Young (1-3), who came in with a 7.90 ERA and had allowed 20 hits in 13 innings, baffled the Orioles.

Phillies 5, Brewers 2

Milwaukee — Maikel Franco homered twice and Aaron Nola pitched seven strong innings as Philadelphia defeated Milwaukee.

The Phillies snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Brewers.

Franco hit a two-run home run in the fifth to give Philadelphia a 4-1 lead. He blasted a solo shot over the Brewers bullpen in left in the seventh to stake the Phillies to a four-run lead.

Nola (1-2) allowed four hits and retired 11 consecutive batters at one point and 16 of 17 to close out his outing.

Milwaukee starter Zach Davies (0-2) surrendered four runs and nine hits over six innings.

The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first on Chris Carter’s run-scoring single. The Phillies tied the game in the fourth on Darin Ruf’s RBI single.

The Brewers added a run in the ninth on consecutive doubles by Carter and Aaron Hill.