If you’re a fan of pitching, Wednesday night’s Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians game delivered. Well, until one team faltered in the late innings.
Drew Pomeranz and Corey Kluber both had excellent starting performances, although Pomeranz’s high pitch count prevented him from going deep into the game. But the bullpen continued to shut down the Indians, and the Red Sox’s offense provided some clutch late insurance in Boston’s 6-1 win at Progressive Field
The Red Sox improved to 73-53 with the win, while the Indians dropped to 69-56 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Insurance.
There was some excellent pitching from both sides in this one until a late offensive explosion by Boston.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
The Sox added four runs in the ninth.
ON THE BUMP
— Pomeranz was dominant against the Indians, although he only lasted 5 1/3 innings due to a rising pitch count.
The left-hander allowed only two hits, although he did walk four batters while striking out nine en route to 103 pitches before he was pulled in the sixth frame.
— Joe Kelly came on in relief and maintained the zero next to Cleveland in the box score. He pitched a total of 1 1/3 innings.
— Addison Reed completed a 1-2-3 seventh inning by getting Francisco Lindor to ground out. However, Cleveland inched closer with an Edwin Encarnacion solo home run in the eighth.
— Craig Kimbrel struck out three in the ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Mitch Moreland produced the first run of the game with a solo home run to right field in the fifth inning. It was Moreland’s 15th homer of the season.
— Other than that, though, Corey Kluber also was pretty impressive on the mound. The Indians ace allowed only four hits with one walk and one hit by pitch while striking out 12 in 7 2/3 innings. However, he got into some trouble in the eighth, as Mookie Betts drove in an insurance run with an RBI single.
— A Rafael Devers a un via wild pitch, Brock Holt’s two-RBI double and Eduardo Nunez’s two-run home run made it 6-1 in the ninth.
— Nunez has two hits, while Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, Holt, Devers, Moreland and Betts each had one.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
The Red Sox made a trade Wednesday night, and there’s a New England connection.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will wrap up their four-game series with the Indians on Thursday. Left-hander Chris Sale is scheduled to return to the mound to face Trevor Bauer. First pitch from Progressive Field is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports Images
