Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a tiebreaking home run in the top of the 10th inning as the visiting Boston Red Sox overcame blowing a five-run lead to beat the Cleveland Indians 7-6 Tuesday night.
After the Indians tied the score on Francisco Lindor's RBI double in the bottom of the ninth, Bradley's one-out homer off Nick Wittgren (4-1) in the 10th restored the Red Sox's lead.
Andrew Cashner, recently relegated to the bullpen after a string of poor starts, then worked around a leadoff single in the bottom of the frame for his first career save as Boston snapped a three-game losing streak
Brandon Workman (9-1), who blew the save in the ninth, earned the win.
Rafael Devers had four doubles among a career-high six hits and three RBIs to lead the Boston offense.
Carlos Santana and Franmil Reyes homered for the Indians, who fell for only the third time in their last 12 games.
Cleveland was shut down early by Red Sox starter Chris Sale, who made major league history by becoming the fastest pitcher to reach 2,000 career strikeouts when he whiffed Oscar Mercado to end the third. Sale accomplished the feat in 1,626 innings, besting Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez's mark of 1,711 1/3 innings.
Santana's solo shot in the fourth -- his third in as many games -- got the Indians within 2-1, but the Red Sox responded by scoring two runs in the fifth and two more on a Devers double in the sixth to go up 6-1.
Reyes made it 6-3 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth, and Sale expressed his frustration on a cooler in the dugout after the inning. When the left-hander returned for the seventh, a leadoff walk and an error on Devers at third put runners at second and third with one out.
After a pop up, Lindor doubled home both men to make it a one-run game and end Sale's outing. Matt Barnes came in and escaped the frame with no further damage by striking out Santana.
Sale gave up five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings, recording 12 strikeouts.
Indians starter Mike Clevinger allowed four runs on 11 hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out six.
--Field Level Media
Boston | Cleveland | |
Chris Sale | Player | Mike Clevinger |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
6.2 | IP | 4.2 |
12 | Strikeouts | 6 |
5 | Hits | 11 |
4.05 | ERA | 7.71 |
Boston | Cleveland | |
Rafael Devers | Player | Francisco Lindor |
6 | Hits | 3 |
3 | RBI | 3 |
0 | HR | 0 |
10 | TB | 5 |
1.000 | Avg | .600 |