Jonathan Arauz belted a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the visiting Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday.
After failing to execute a bunt earlier in the at-bat, Arauz deposited a 3-2 fastball from James Karinchak (7-4) over the wall in right field to stake Boston to a 4-3 lead.
Arauz's first homer of the season and second of his career was just the third hit of the game for the Red Sox, who have won four of their last five games.
Arauz and Yairo Munoz were recalled from Triple-A Worcester prior to the game after Enrique Hernandez tested positive for COVID-19 and Christian Arroyo was deemed a close contact.
Eduardo Rodriguez (10-7) picked up the win after allowing three runs on eight hits in seven innings.
Garrett Richards struck out two batters in the eighth inning before Adam Ottavino did the same in the ninth to secure his ninth save of the season.
Jose Ramirez launched a two-run homer and Yu Chang went deep for the third time in as many games for the Indians.
Ramirez made a scintillating play by making a diving catch on a liner from Christian Vazquez to prevent a run in the second inning.
Ramirez opened the scoring in the fourth inning after following Amed Rosario's single by depositing a 3-2 changeup from Rodriguez over the wall in left field. It was Ramirez's team-leading 30th homer of the season and fourth in his last eight games.
Alex Verdugo halved the deficit by scoring on a double-play ball in the fifth inning before Chang regained the two-run cushion with a solo shot in the seventh. Chang sent a 2-1 changeup from Rodriguez over the wall in right field for his sixth homer of the season.
Cleveland's Logan Allen, who was an eighth-round pick of the Red Sox in the 2015 draft, allowed one run and struck out five in six innings in his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday. He lowered his season ERA from 9.13 to 7.53.
--Field Level Media
Boston | Cleveland | |
Eduardo Rodriguez | Player | Logan Allen |
Win | W/L | No Decision |
7.0 | IP | 6.0 |
2 | Strikeouts | 5 |
8 | Hits | 1 |
3.86 | ERA | 1.50 |
Boston | Cleveland | |
Jonathan Arauz | Player | Jose Ramirez |
1 | Hits | 3 |
3 | RBI | 2 |
1 | HR | 1 |
4 | TB | 6 |
.500 | Avg | .750 |