Bregman homers twice as Cubs beat Red Sox 6-2 in relocated finale

Alex Bregman hit two home runs and drove in four runs against his former team as the Cubs beat the Red Sox 6-2 Sunday in the final game of the regular season. Boston had been designated the home team at Tropicana Field after severe weather forced the game out of Fenway Park. The official MLB game feed records the final score and venue; MLB's relocation announcement explains why the game moved to St. Petersburg.

Bregman put Chicago ahead in the first inning with a two-run homer. Adley Rutschman answered with a solo shot in the bottom half, and Andruw Monasterio's second-inning grounder brought Nick Sogard home to tie it 2-2. The tie lasted only until Bregman led off the third with another home run. Boston did not score again.

For five more innings, the margin stayed at one run. Cubs pitcher Braxton Garrett worked five innings after Shota Imanaga's one-inning start and allowed one earned run. Jacob Webb handled the seventh, and Colin Rea covered the final two innings without allowing a run, according to the MLB box score. Boston used Tanner Houck for three innings, then turned to its bullpen.

Chicago broke the game open in the ninth. Miguel Amaya scored on Bregman's double, Tyrone Taylor came home on Gabriel Arias' sacrifice fly, and Michael Conforto doubled in Bregman. Bregman finished 4-for-4 with the two homers, a double and four RBIs. Boston finished with two runs on five hits; the Cubs collected 13 hits.

The loss does not change Boston's first postseason assignment. The Red Sox had already secured the American League's No. 5 seed and a Wild Card Series against the Yankees beginning Tuesday in New York, as MLB reported Friday. Sunday's game closed an unusual regular season with a neutral-site home date. The next result that matters for Boston will come in the Bronx.