Alex Verdugo hit a game winning three-run homerun in the sixth inning on Saturday evening, as the Boston Red Sox rallied past the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 at Progressive Field for their sixth straight win. The victory also moves Boston into second place by 1/2 game over Toronto in the American League East, and also 1/2 game over the Jays for the top AL Wild Card spot.
Cleveland starting pitcher Shane Bieber was tough on Boston through the first five innings, allowing no runs on just two hits. The Guardians had a 2-0 lead scoring both their runs in the third inning off Josh Winckowski on a Amed Rosario RBI triple and a sacrifice RBI flyout by Jose Ramirez. Jarren Duran led off the Red Sox sixth with a double, but then was thrown out trying to go to third base on a ball that got away from Cleveland catcher Austin Hedges momentarily with Rafael Devers at the plate. With two outs another rally was started when both JD Martinez and Xander Bogaerts singled. Verdugo was up next and cracked the game winning three-run homer to right center field at an estimated 447 feet on a 2-0 pitch by Bieber, his fifth long ball of the season. They had a chance to add on in the eighth inning, but with the bases loaded and no outs both Bogaerts and Verdugo grounded into force outs at the plate and Trevor Story struckout. Duran added a big insurance run with an RBI single driving in Bobby Dalbec in the top of the ninth inning. Tanner Houck picked up his sixth save by setting the hosts down in order in their last at bat.
Duran had four hits to lead the offense and Kevin Plawecki added two. Winckowski (3-1) picked up the pitching win allowing two runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Jake Diekman (12th), John Schreiber (13th), and Matt Strahm (9th) all picked up holds. Bieber (3-4) took the loss for Cleveland allowing three runs on six hits in 7.0 innings. Boston (41-31) is now in sole possession of second place in the division for the first time since April 17. They have also clinched winning a seventh series in a row. The Sox go for the weekend sweep on Sunday afternoon at 1:40 p.m. sending LHP Rich Hill (3-4, 4.35 ERA) to the bump, against RHP Aaron Civale (2-3, 7.25) for the Guardians.
