The Sports Xchange
Aug 23, 2017
CLEVELAND -- Mitch Moreland and Eduardo Nunez homered, and four Boston pitchers dominated a depleted Cleveland lineup, combining on a three-hitter as the Red Sox beat the Indians 6-1 on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.
Moreland hit a solo home run off Corey Kluber in the fifth inning, and Nunez belted a two-run shot off Bryan Shaw in a four-run Boston ninth.
Cleveland's run came on a home run by Edwin Encarnacion in the eighth inning off reliever Addison Reed.
Boston pitchers, for the second consecutive game, completely shut down an Indians lineup missing four regulars who are out with injuries, three of them on the disabled list.
In the past two games, Boston (73-53) has held Cleveland (69-56) to a total of two runs and four hits. On Tuesday night, Doug Fister pitched a one-hitter. On Wednesday night, starter Drew Pomeranz got help from three relievers.
Pomeranz (13-4) pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings and gave up two hits with nine strikeouts and four walks. Joe Kelly, Reed and Craig Kimbrel followed Pomeranz to the mound.
The hard-luck loser was Kluber (12-4), who pitched 7 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs and four hits (three infield singles), including Moreland's home run. Kluber struck out 12 and walked one.
Leading 1-0, Boston added a run in an eighth-inning rally that began with two outs and nobody on base.
Kluber, who was clearly running out of gas, walked Brock Holt and hit Nunez with a pitch. Mookie Betts then hit a sharp grounder to third. Giovanny Urshela dived for the ball, but it glanced off his glove and rolled into the outfield as Holt scored to make it 2-0.
Encarnacion's 29th homer of the season came with two outs in the eighth on a 2-0 pitch from Reed.
In the ninth, Boston scored a run on a passed ball, then got on an RBI double from Holt, which was followed by Nunez's two-run homer.
Kluber retired 14 of the first 15 batters he faced until the Red Sox broke the scoreless tie in the fifth when Moreland hit a 1-0 pitch over the right field wall for his 15th home run of the season.
NOTES: Indians 2B Jason Kipnis was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain. INF Erik Gonzalez was recalled from Triple-A Columbus. ... Cleveland 1B Carlos Santana missed his second consecutive game because of tightness in his lower back. He could be back in the lineup Thursday. ... Boston placed OF Jackie Bradley Jr. on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb and recalled INF Deven Marrero from Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Boston acquired OF Rajai Davis in a trade with Oakland. The Red Sox sent minor league OF Rafael Rincones to the A's and designated OF Steve Selsky for assignment. ... The Red Sox, who are last in the American League in home runs, have won 22 games this season without hitting a homer, the most in the majors. No other AL team has more than 15 such wins.