Red Sox Wrap: Cooper Criswell Steps Up In Win Over Guardians

Strong pitching and a breakout offensive showing were the catalysts for the Boston Red Sox to take a 8-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

The Red Sox improved their record to 14-11 while the Guardians, who tied their best start in franchise history Tuesday, dropped to 17-7.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Red Sox manager Alex Cora is using a next man up approach when it comes to Boston’s rotation due to three injuries to the starting staff.

So, the Red Sox turned to Cooper Criswell on Wednesday in a spot start and hoped he would give them a chance to win. He did more than that.

The 6-foot-6 right-hander made the fourth start of his big league career, and it certainly was his best. He didn’t allow a run and the five innings he threw made it the longest outing of his MLB career, too.

The Red Sox really couldn’t have asked for much more out of Criswell, who they signed this offseason to a one-year deal. And Boston backed him up with offensive support as it collected a season-high 16 hits.

With Brayan Bello, Garrett Whitlock and Nick Pivetta currently on the injured list, Criswell could be in line for another start or two. And his performance against the Guardians should give the Red Sox confidence that he can get the job done when called upon.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Connor Wong stayed red-hot at the plate as he belted two solo bombs — his first blast traveled 416 feet to center. Wong, who finished 4-for-4 and also had an RBI single, now has five home runs after hitting nine all of last season.

— Rafael Devers returned in a big way after a five-game absence due to a knee injury. Devers reached base four times, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBIs to go along with a walk.

— Criswell tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out three. He walked none as he threw 48 of his 72 pitches for strikes. It was Criswell’s second win in the majors.

ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox and Guardians play the rubber match of their three-game series on Thursday. First pitch from Progressive Field is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.