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BOSTON -- Hanley Ramirez homered three times and drove in a career-high six runs and the Boston Red Sox held on for a 11-7 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night even though newly acquired starter Drew Pomeranz struggled to protect an eight-run lead.Boston won for the eighth time in nine games and moved into first place in the AL East, a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles.Ramirez also reached base when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth, glowering at Giants reliever Albert Suarez before the umpire quickly warned both benches. With the crowd chanting Ramirezs name for his final at-bat in the eighth, he grounded out weakly to the pitcher.Ramirez began the day with eight home runs this season before connecting for his first three-homer game. He hit two-run drives in the second, third and sixth inning. The major league record for home runs in a game is four. Its been done 16 times, most recently by Josh Hamilton for Texas in 2012.Travis Shaw and Sandy Leon also homered for Boston, and Mookie Betts had three hits.Matt Barnes (3-3) was awarded the victory as the first effective Red Sox pitcher, coming on with a one-run lead and the bases loaded in the sixth and pitching out of it.Giants starter Matt Cain (1-6) gave up three homers and five runs in 2 1/3 innings.CUBS 6, METS 2CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo homered twice off Bartolo Colon, Kyle Hendricks pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Chicago beat New York to take two of three in the rematch of last years NL Championship Series.Rizzo pulled a slider to right for a solo homer in the third. Two innings later with a runner on, he sent a fastball into the right-field bleachers.Rizzo also hit a two-run homer Monday in a victory as the Cubs rebounded from a four-game sweep in New York this month. Chicago has won five of its last seven overall.Hendricks (9-6) gave up seven hits and hasnt allowed an earned run in his last three appearances. He lowered his ERA to 2.27, third best in the majors.Colon (8-5) gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Wilmer Flores hit his fifth home run in eight games, a two-run drive off Travis Wood in the eighth.CARDINALS 4, PADRES 2, 1ST GAMECARDINALS 3, PADRES 2, 2ND GAMEST. LOUIS -- Jedd Gyorko homered for the fifth straight game off San Diego pitching, connecting twice and driving in all three RBI in a 3-2 victory to give St. Louis a doubleheader sweep.Gyorko, dealt by the Padres in the offseason for outfielder Jon Jay, is 13 for 21 (.619) against his old team with six homers and 10 RBI. He has 11 homers and 27 RBI on the year with 40 starts spread across the infield. He started at third base in both games of the doubleheader.He has four consecutive three-hit games against San Diego and four career multi-homer games, with both long balls in Game 2 off Paul Clemens (1-1).Carlos Martinez (9-6) was dominant after a shaky first inning and a nosebleed in the second, and the Cardinals took the opener 4-2. Gyorko, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina homered off Colin Rea (5-4).Ryan Schimpf homered in both games for San Diego.Jaime Garcia (7-6) allowed a run in 5 2/3 innings in the second game, and Seung Hwan Oh earned his fourth save in five chances, and second of the day.NATIONALS 8, DODGERS 1WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper led an offensive outburst with a home run into the third deck in right field and Washington beat Los Angeles.Harpers 20th home run of the season, a two-run blast, traveled an estimated 451 feet off Bud Norris in the first inning. The National League MVP later walked and scored on Wilson Ramos RBI double.Ben Revere, Jayson Werth and Anthony Rendon also hit home runs and Trea Turner had an RBI triple and stole home for Washington. Gio Gonzalez (6-8) had one of his best starts of the season, allowing one run on three hits and striking out six in six innings.Norris (5-8) gave up six runs on seven hits in five-plus innings before giving way to the bullpen.INDIANS 11, ROYALS 4KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tyler Naquin hit two of the Indians five homers and had a career-high six RBI, helping Cleveland rout Kansas City.Carlos Carrasco (7-3) only allowed one hit in six shutout innings, a one-out double by Cheslor Cuthbert in the fourth walked two in the sixth for his only other baserunners.Naquin had his first multi-homer game, while Mike Napoli went deep for the second straight day. Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana also hit home runs.The first four homers were off Ian Kennedy (6-8), whose bizarre line included eight strikeouts and only one walk. But it was the ninth straight game Kennedy has served up a homer, and he has allowed 26 of them this season, tied with teammate Chris Young for most in the majors.BLUE JAYS 10, DIAMONDBACKS 4PHOENIX -- Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion each hit two-run homers and Toronto beat Arizona.Donaldsons homer off Patrick Corbin (4-9) landed in the Chase Field swimming pool in the first inning. Encarnacions soaring shot off Daniel Hudson, projected at 471 feet, landed far down the walkway beyond the left field seats in the eighth. It was Encarnacions 26th home run of the season and ninth in his last eight games at Chase.Marcus Stroman (8-4) allowed only an unearned run on eight hits in eight innings to help the Blue Jays sweep the two-game series. Tuffy Gosewisch hit a three-run homer in the ninth for Arizona.TWINS 4, TIGERS 1DETROIT -- Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario homered off Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth and Minnesota Twins scored three runs in the inning to beat Detroit.Detroit wasted a fine start by Justin Verlander, who gave up a run and two hits in eight innings. Rodriguez (1-1) retired the first two batters of the ninth before Kepler sent a drive to right field to break the 1-all tie. Rodriguez then made a throwing error and appeared to be shaken up, but after a conference at the mound he stayed in the game and allowed a two-run shot by Rosario.Ryan Pressly (3-5) was the winner, and Brandon Kintzler pitched the ninth for his sixth save.Minnesotas Joe Mauer and Detroits Ian Kinsler homered in the first inning.YANKEES 5, ORIOLES 0NEW YORK -- Michael Pineda pitched six innings, Mark Teixeira homered in his return from his latest injury, and New York beat Baltimore to move two games above .500 for the first time since April.Pineda (4-9) had six strikeouts with runners in scoring position and didnt allow a run for the first time all season. New York has won the first three of the four-game series to improve to 38-36 -- the last time the Yankees were two games over .500 was April 12 when they were 4-2.A stomach bug has been ravaging Baltimores clubhouse and claimed two more victims in third baseman Manny Machado and manager Buck Showalter. Bench coach John Russell filled in for Showalter. First baseman Chris Davis missed his third straight game with flu-like symptoms.Yovani Gallardo (3-2) was the loser.MARINERS 6, WHITE SOX 5, 11 INNINGSSEATTLE -- Leonys Martin hit his second home run of the game, a solo shot with one out in the 11th inning that sent Seattle past Chicago.Martin hit a two-run drive in the second inning. He then drove an 0-2 pitch from Dan Jennings (3-2) over the wall in right for his 13th homer.Vidal Nuno (1-1) pitched one inning for the victory. Seattle pulled to 5-4 on Mike Zuninos two-run homer in seventh, and tied it on Adam Linds solo shot in the eighth.Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, activated off the disabled list earlier in the day, allowed five runs on 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two in his first start since May 27.Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer in the first off Hernandez. Fraziers 28th home run tied him for the major league lead with Baltimores Mark Trumbo.REDS 6, BRAVES 3CINCINNATI -- Tucker Barnhart and Joey Votto hit two-run homers, and Cincinnati rallied to beat Atlanta to win the season series between the NLs worst teams.Barnharts homer completed a four-run rally in the sixth off Lucas Harrell (1-2). Votto extended his post-All Star break surge with his 16th homer off Ian Krol in the seventh. Votto is 11 for 20 in the last six games with two homers, a double and six walks.Anthony DeSclafani (5-0) kept up his streak of solid starts since returning from a strained oblique that sidelined him for most of the first half. The right-hander gave up eight hits, including Freddie Freemans homer, in eight innings. DeSclafani is 5-0 in his last six starts with a 2.61 ERA.Adonis Garcia led off the ninth with a homer off Ross Ohlendorf, the 68th homer allowed by Cincinnatis bullpen -- by far the most in the majors.PHILLIES 4, MARLINS 1PHILADELPHIA -- Jeremy Hellickson struck out eight in eight innings, Tyler Goeddel hit a two-run homer and Philadelphia beat Miami.Hellickson (7-7) allowed one run and five hits, improving his value as the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches. Miamis Wei-Yin Chen (5-4) gave up four runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings.Chris Johnson hit a solo homer in the fifth for the Marlins.Goeddel snapped an 0-for-16 slump with an opposite-field shot to right to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead in the first. He lined an RBI single to right to make it 3-0 in the second.Jeanmar Gomez finished for his 26th save in 29 tries.ASTROS 7, ATHLETICS 0OAKLAND, Calif. -- Doug Fister pitched seven innings and Jose Altuve continued his torrid hitting to help Houston beat Oakland.After losing three of his last four decisions, Fister (10-6) threw seven innings of four-hit ball and struck out five. The As failed to advance a runner past second base against Fister.Altuve was 2 for 3 with two walks. Baseballs leading hitter is 12 for his last 17 in his last four games. The Astros, who had lost three of their previous four, scored two runs in the second with two outs and nobody on base when five batters reached safely against As starter Daniel Mengden (1-5).RAYS 11, ROCKIES 3DENVER -- Chris Archer struck out 11 over six innings for his first victory since June 6, Tim Beckham had a career-high five hits and Tampa Bay routed Colorado.Evan Longoria kept up his hot hitting with two doubles to help the Rays take two of three to capture their first road series since June 6-8 at Arizona.Archer (5-13) allowed two runs and four hits to halt a slide in which he had lost six of seven starts.Jorge De La Rosa (6-7) lasted only four innings and gave up nine runs, seven of them earned.BREWERS 9, PIRATES 5.PITTSBURGH -- Jonathan Lucroy had a two-run single in the sixth inning and finished with three RBI in Milwaukees victory over Pittsburgh.Jonathan Villar, Hernan Perez and Ryan Braun had two hits each for Milwaukee and Chris Carter and Scooter Gennett drove in two runs apiece while the Brewers jumped on starter Jeff Locke (8-6).Carlos Torres (2-1) won in relief of Chase Anderson, who struggled once again but was bailed out by an offense that took it to Locke (8-6). 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Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night.Michael Carrick’s return to the Manchester United team for the win over Swansea has been hailed as the catalyst behind their improved performance. But what is it about the midfielder that makes him so important? Adam Bate examines the evidence… Its one thing to be 25-years-old, another thing to be 35-years-old. Thats the logic of things. But the only thing I can say is hes phenomenal. No doubts about it … I would love to play him every game but thats not possible … He started at Swansea and played very, very well.Jose Mourinhos explanation for Michael Carricks belated inclusion in his Premier League starting line-up for the 3-1 win at Swansea last time out was a little disingenuous. There had been multiple opportunities for the Manchester United manager to turn to Carrick earlier. Swansea 1-3 Manchester Utd Although United have won all six matches in which he has featured this season, the veteran midfielder struggled to make the squad in the early weeks of the season and was an unused substitute for the back-to-back defeats against Feyenoord and Watford in September.This was not because of careful game management. It was Mourinho searching for a longer-term solution to his midfield conundrum. But it seems there are still qualities that Carrick possesses that are absent elsewhere in the United squad. Qualities that help the team.Rio Ferdinand calls him the best passer at the club while Gary Neville, another old team-mate, once compared Carrick to a piano. Hes peaceful, hes calm, he brings composure to everyone else around him, said Neville. Thats important for young players. Carrick scored in the EFL Cup win over Northampton Town in September Only last year Wayne Rooney was enthusing about how Carrick turned around Englands friendly against Italy after coming on as a substitute by dictating the game and bringing control to the teams work. Mourinho has spoken of the balance that he provides.These are difficult qualities to measure and that makes them easy to dismiss. Carrick didnt score or assist a goal at Swansea, after all. He didnt make a tackle either. But even from such a small sample size this season, Carricks statistics do hint at what he brings to a team.He has made 112 passes in only 102 minutes of Premier League football this season with a completion rate of more than 96 per cent. In short, when Carricks on the pitch he passes the ball to a team-mate more regularly and with greater accuracy than anyone else. Man Utd midfielders 2016/17 Player Passes / 90 Player Passing accuracy Michael Carrick 98.8 Michael Carrick 96.55% Ander Herrera 69.9 Juan Mata 90.84% Paul Pogba 62.7 Marouane Fellaini 89.35% Juan Mata 56.3 Ander Herrera 87.45% Marouane Fellaini 55.dddddddddddd7 Paul Pogba 86.11% But its about more than keeping calm and keeping hold of the ball. Its not just that hes circulating possession but the direction in which hes circulating it. Thats whats helping those around him. In particular, it could be crucial for record signing Paul Pogba.Mourinho knew he needed Pogbas dynamism - the second midfield player is how he describes that role of the runner rather than the passer in the middle of the park. But on the evidence of the early part of the season, getting him on the ball in the right areas is an issue.Carrick could be the man to change that. Mourinho has highlighted his big understanding of the game so perhaps its not merely a coincidence that he found Pogba eight times in his first Premier League appearance of the campaign as a late substitute against Leicester. Carrick and Pogba Michael Carrick has passed to Paul Pogba 25 times in only 102 minutes of Premier League action. By way of comparison, that meant that Carrick passed the ball to Pogba more times in a quarter of an hour than either Juan Mata or Ander Herrera did in the entire game. The Swansea game saw a continuation of this fledgling relationship.Carrick passed to Pogba 17 times at the Liberty Stadium, more than anyone else. As a result, hes averaging a pass to the Frenchman every four minutes so far this season - more than three times as often as Rooney, for example, has succeeded in getting the ball to him.Much has been made of how Pogba found his feet at Juventus alongside Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio. Their intelligent use of the ball helped him flourish. Thats been missing. Alarmingly, in the defeat to Manchester City, the man who supplied Pogba most often was David de Gea. Is it time for Jose Mourinho to turn to Carrick to help Uniteds midfield? With Carrick in the team, thats unlikely to happen again. As Mourinho puts it, hes a player who adds stability in our game and provides mental freedom for the other guys to be more offensive in their work as well. For United fans, this isnt a new realisation.It even worked briefly for Louis van Gaal. Carrick won the first seven matches he started last season, extending his total winning run to 11 when the wins over Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa and City were included from the previous 2014/15 campaign.That sequence of results in the spring of 2015 marked Uniteds best period under the Dutchman, one that only came to an end once Carrick picked up an injury just prior to the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea in the April. Winning without him is not a problem unique to Mourinho. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. The closest Van Gaal ever got to fluidity at Old Trafford was with that triumvirate of Carrick, Herrera and Marouane Fellaini. Perhaps that could yet be the template for the new manager with the not insignificant upgrade of subbing in Pogba for the burly Belgian.Mourinho knows it is not the answer he envisaged but nor can he afford to look too far ahead. Arsenal are the visitors on Saturday and picking the best team to win the match should surely be the only thing in his thoughts. That will mean Carrick.Its a pity you sometimes cannot stop the clock, said Mourinho earlier this month. Michael is such an important player and very difficult to replace. But the issue of finding a replacement is now a task for January at the earliest and, more likely, well beyond that. Man Utd vs Arsenal November 19, 2016, 11:30am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass By then, the hope will be that Pogba is fully settled and this United side are playing with some confidence again. Carrick can help with that. He knows exactly what I can do, my strengths, he told Sky Sports earlier this season. I am not going to change my game now.Theres no need for that. The events of this season have only added to the suspicion that Carrick doing what Carrick does might be exactly what United had been missing. Also See: Herrera on life under Jose Mkhitaryan vows to impress ' ' '