JD Martinez hit a game winning three-run homerun in the 10th inning Saturday evening, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 win over the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.
Boston (75-56) got out to a quick start when Kyle Schwarber hit a solo homerun to centerfield in the top of the first inning, and Xander Bogaerts added an RBI double for a 2-0 lead. Cleveland (63-64) tied it in the second when Franmil Reyes hit a long solo homer to left, and Bobby Bradley singled in Bradley Zimmer to make it 2-2. Starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Cal Quantrill settled in after that and it remained tied. The Sox had a good chance to jump ahead in the top of the seventh when Alex Verdugo singled and Christian Vazquez walked to lead off the frame. Travis Shaw then sacrificed the runners to second and third on a bunt, but Jonathan Arauz popped out to second base and Jarren Duran flied out to left field. The Indians then threatened in the bottom half against Hirokazu Sawumara. Oscar Mercado singled and Andres Gimenez walked. After Myles Straw popped out to the pitcher and Ahmed Rosario grounded out, they walked Jose Ramirez intentionally to load the bases. Sawumara got it out of it when he struck out Reyes swinging. In the 10th inning with Duran already at second base with the extra inning rule, Schwarber singled. Martinez then took a 2-1 pitch from Nick Wittgren into the bleachers in right centerfield for a three-run homerun and a 5-2 lead. Martin Perez tried to close it out in the bottom half, but walked Reyes and hit Zimmer with a pitch to load the bases. Perez did strike out Bradley but then was replaced by Adam Ottavino. Ottavino did allow an RBI single by Mercado, but would get Gimenez to ground out with the bases loaded to end it.
Eovaldi allowed two runs on six hits in 5.1 innings in his no-decision with no walks and seven strikeouts. Garrett Whitlock (6-2) got the win, Perez got a hold, and Ottavino his 10th save. Schwarber and Martinez had three hits each, while Vazquez and Rafael Devers had two a piece. Reyes, Mercado, and Bradley had two hits each for Cleveland. Wittgren (2-7) took the loss in relief on the mound, while Quantrill allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts in a 7.0 inning effort. The Red Sox go for the three game sweep at 1:10 p.m. on Sunday with Tanner Houck (0-3, 3.43 ERA) scheduled to toe the rubber. The Indians will go with Eli Morgan (2-6, 5.98).
