Bregman has 6 RBIs, Devers adds 4 hits as Red Sox rout Cardinals 18-7 to sweep doubleheader

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Boston Red Sox’s Trevor Story, left, and Alex Bregman, right, celebrate Bregman’s three-run homer in the third inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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Boston Red Sox pitcher Hunter Dobbins throws in the first inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cadinals, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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Boston Red Sox’s Alex Bregman hits a three-run home run in the third inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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Boston Red Sox’s Alex Bregman gestures as he rounds the base after hitting a three-run homer in the third inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pagés, left, meets with pitcher Gordon Graceffo (44) on the mound in the seventh inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Michael Siani chases the ball after Boston Red Sox’s Carlos Narváez hit for a double in the seventh inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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Boston Red Sox’s Rafael Devers (11) gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas throws in the first inning during the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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St. Louis Cardinals’ Pedro Pagés hits for a double in the sixth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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Boston Red Sox’s Romy Gonzalez, right, reacts after getting tagged out by St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Thomas Saggese, left, in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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Boston Red Sox’s Rafael Devers dons a mascot head in the dugout after hitting a home run in the fifth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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Boston Red Sox’s Rafael Devers, right, high fives teammate Alex Bregman, left, after Devers hit a home run in the fifth inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

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St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Thomas Saggese, left, tags out Boston Red Sox’s Romy Gonzalez (23) in the seventh inning during the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

By KEN POWTAK and KYLE HIGHTOWER

BOSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman hit a three-run homer and tied a career high with six RBIs, Rafael Devers went 4 for 4 and drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox rolled to an 18-7 win and a doubleheader sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night.

Wilyer Abreu added three RBIs for Boston, which finished with a season-best 22 hits and won its fifth straight. It was the 14th career four-hit game for Devers, who also scored four runs. Bregman had four hits for the 10th time, and Jarren Duran had three hits and scored three runs.

All that offense made for an easy night for Hunter Dobbins (1-0), who scattered five hits and gave up two runs over five innings to win his major league debut. Cooper Criswell allowed four runs in the ninth, but went three innings for his first save.

St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas (0-1) permitted nine runs — eight earned — and 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings. Thomas Saggaese hit a three-run homer in the ninth and Brendan Donovan had three hits and two RBIs for the Cardinals. St. Louis extended a team record with its ninth straight game getting at least 10 hits.

In the makeup of Saturday’s rainout, Abreu singled off the Green Monster to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Red Sox rallied for a 5-4 victory in the opener. Devers, who began the season 0 for 21 with 15 strikeouts, hit his first homer of the year.

Pedro Pagés replaced St. Louis catcher Iván Herrera in the first game after he exited with left knee inflammation. In an interview on the ESPN broadcast, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said initial testing came back clean and Herrera’s knee was structurally sound. But he added the inflammation will require a stint on the injured list.

Key moment

Boston took control in the second, scoring five runs on an RBI single by Ceddanne Rafaela and two-run doubles by Bregman and Abreu. Mikolas threw 41 of his 81 pitches during the inning. The Red Sox had another five-run inning in the sixth.

Key stat

The Red Sox scored five runs in the second and four in the third. It marked the first time they scored four or more runs in back-to-back innings since Aug. 24, 2023, at Houston, and the first time at Fenway Park since Sept. 27, 2022, against Baltimore.

Up next

LHP Matthew Liberatore (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will start as the Cardinals open a three-game series Monday in Pittsburgh. The Red Sox had not announced a starting pitcher for the opener of their four-game series against Toronto.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb