BOSTON – Kyle Schwarber led off the game with a home run, breaking the tie with a double in the seventh inning that led the Boston Red Sox to an 8-5 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday.
Hunter Renfroe added a three-run RBI home run in the seventh, in what was Boston’s third straight win, clinging to the second AL wild-card berth with 25 games remaining on the regular season schedule. .
Kevin Plawecki and Jonathan Araúz homered for the Red Sox, who included their ninth player on the COVID-19 / injury list in a period of one week, but won with a patched roster.
Jose Ramirez hit 33 homers for Cleveland and added a run with a single in the ninth. Austin Hedges hit a two-run homer in the seventh, momentarily tying the game at three before Boston called it. The Indians had won four in a row.
Nathan Eovaldi struck out nine in 6 1/3 innings for Boston. He allowed three runs on six hits and a pair of walks.
Adam Ottavino (4-3) replaced him in the seventh and scored the victory. Garrett Whitlock got the last four outs for Boston and got his second save.
Cal Quantrill (4-3) pitched six innings and bounced back from a shaky outing. He was retired after Araúz doubled off a walk, which started a five-run rally for Boston.
Trevor Stephan came from the bullpen to face Schwarber, who doubled to right-center field to make it 5-3.
For the Indians, the Dominicans José Ramírez of 5-3 with one scored and two produced, Amed Rosario of 5-1 and Franmil Reyes of 5-1 and the Venezuelan Andrés Giménez of 4-2 with one scored.
For the Red Sox, the Panamanian Jonathan Araúz 4-2 with two runs scored and one RBI, the Dominicans Rafael Devers 5-1, Danny Santana scored a run and the Puerto Rican Jack López 2-1.
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