BOSTON — Xander Bogaerts figured one more run couldn’t hurt.
Bogaerts launched a solo home run in the eighth inning of the Red Sox’s 10-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday at Fenway Park. The game was well in hand when Bogaerts went deep, but the mammoth blast placed an exclamation point on a solid night for Boston’s offense.
Indians manager Terry Francona turned to his bullpen for the sixth and final time before Bogaerts stepped up in the bottom of the eighth inning. Francona called upon right-hander Cody Allen, who left a 3-2 fastball over the plate that Bogaerts planted off one of the light towers located atop the Green Monster. The home run — Bogaerts’ sixth of the season — capped a nine-pitch at-bat for the 21-year-old.
Bogaerts reached base twice and scored two runs in Friday’s win. The Red Sox’s offense produced 11 hits en route to Boston’s first 10-run effort of the season and the club’s second straight victory to kick off its seven-game homestand.
