BOSTON ( Associated Press) – Nick Pivetta hit a dominant seven innings with 10 strikeouts, Christian Vazquez hit a three-run homer and the Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 on Sunday to seal a five-series win .
Trevor Storey added a single homer and Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a go-forward single for the Red Sox, who won 13 in 17 games on Saturday night to lead 11-2.
St. Louis kicks off its second visit to Fenway Park in 14 years. The Cardinals have lost three of their last four matches.
Juan Yepez hit a three-run pinch-hit homer in the ninth inning and Tyler O’Neill had three hits for the Cardinals, but had to leave the game with a hamstring strain after scoring a double.
Pivetta (7-5) continued his hot streak with just one run in four hits and four walks. He is 7-1 with 1.77 ERA in his last nine starts.
St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols, who announced he would retire at the end of the season, was the designated hitter despite facing a right-handed batsman and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.
For the Cardinals, Yepez of Venezuela scored 1-1; Panama’s Ivan Herrera scored 3-0 and Edmundo Sosa scored another Dominican Pujol 3-0.
For the Red Sox, Puerto Rican Vazquez scored two runs and scored 3 and Dominican Rafael Devers scored 2–1.
