Tuesday’s game couldn’t have started much worse for Boston Red Sox right-handed starter Doug Fister thanks to a leadoff home run, but the rest of the game was a different story.
From then on, Fister didn’t allow another run, and he faced the minimum amount of batters from the second inning until the last pitch of the complete-game effort. That outing, combined with a late explosion from Boston’s offense, lifted the Red Sox to a 9-1 win over the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.
“When they did get a man on base, he was able to induce a groundball double play on a couple of occasions,” Sox manager John Farrell said, as aired on NESN’s Red Sox postgame coverage. “But when you think the third pitch goes out of the ballpark to tie things up, and then from that point on nine no-hit innings. And I think for three hitters in nine innings he pitched out of the stretch.”
Fister allowed the one earned run on one hit, two walks and a hit by pitch while striking out six to improve his record to 3-6.
“He and Sandy Leon were in lockstep with their attack plan,” Farrell added. “But he stayed out of the middle of the plate for the most part. … This night was Doug Fister. On a night where we needed a starter to go deep, he gave it to us. An important day of rest for some other guys in that bullpen. But that was a big start for Doug.”
Let’s take a look at a few more notes from Red Sox vs. Indians.
— Jackie Bradley Jr. suffered an injured thumb when he slid in safely at home during the seventh inning. John Farrell told reporters after the game that the initial X-rays were negative, but he will go back to Boston on Wednesday morning for an MRI.
— There were updates on David Price and Dustin Pedroia’s injuries before Tuesday’s game.
— Reliever Carson Smith had two strikeouts Monday night for Triple-A Pawtucket, but the plan is to be patient with him as he tries to come back from Tommy John surgery.
— Not that they needed them with Fister’s outing, but Joe Kelly and Brandon Workman weren’t available out of the bullpen.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
