This series had playoff fever written all over it. As the MLB season is coming down to its final month, the Red Sox took on a team they could potentially meet in the postseason. The Cleveland Indians (73-54) lead the American League Central by 12.5 games, and are a very strong all-around team. Having come into the series with a series win over the Baltimore Orioles, the Indians were looking to continue their winning ways.
Game One
The first game of the series saw Rick Porcello (15-6, 4.14 ERA) face off with Corey Kluber (16-6, 2.74 ERA). The Red Sox offense looked to shake off the loss against the Tampa Bay Rays and in quick fashion took a 2-0 lead in the first from a Xander Bogaerts single. Andrew Benintendi added another run in the second with a RBI-single making it 3-0. Porcello pitched a strong game until the fifth, giving up a solo home run to Melky Cabrera making it 3-1. The New Jersey native gave up another homer in the sixth, a Michael Brantley two-run blast to right center to make it a tie ball game. That wouldn’t be it for Porcello, as he gave up his third of the game to Greg Allen, whose two-run home run gave the Indians a 5-3 lead in the seventh. Bogaerts got one back for the Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth, but the Sox offense wouldn’t be able to get any more and end up losing 5-4.
Game Two
Nathan Eovaldi (5-5, 3.81 ERA) started the second game of the series for the Red Sox, while rookie Shane Bieber (7-2, 4.36 ERA) got the start for the Indians. It was a quiet game until the fourth, when the Indians bats came alive and a Yan Gomes single and Allen double gave the Indians a 2-0 lead after four. Cleveland piled on two more in the sixth from a Cabrera solo home run and a Brantley RBI-single, and a Yonder Alonso sac-fly in the seventh made it 5-0. The Red Sox offense showed signs of life in the bottom of the seventh, with Bogaerts getting an RBI-double, a Mitch Moreland sac-fly, and Ian Kinsler driving in a run with a ground out to second making it 5-3. The Boston fans hopes of staging a comeback was almost instantly taken away as Gomes hit a solo homer run in the eighth, giving the Indians a 6-3 lead. The Sox offense continued to be shaky, along with the bullpen and Cleveland eked out the 6-3 win.
Game Three
After a horrendous first two games, and a three-game losing streak, the Red Sox were in desperate need of a win. Brian Johnson (4-3, 4.12 ERA) was looking to do just that as he went up against Carlos Carraso (15-7, 3.55 ERA). The story line of the first two games looked like it was going to continue as Edwin Encarnación blasted a two-run home run over the monster to give the Indians a 2-0 lead in the first. But JD Martinez would instantly respond the next half inning with an RBI-single to make it 2-1 after one. The Red Sox bats finally came alive in the fourth inning, with Bogaerts kicking it off with a solo home run to left to tie it up. Blake Swihart knocked in a run with an RBI-single, and Benintendi hit a three-RBI bases clearing double to make it 6-2. Encarnación got his second home run of the game in the fifth, bringing the score close at 6-4. But the Boston offense added insurance with a Moreland home run, Bogaert’s second home run of the night, and a Martinez RBI-single to make it 10-4 after eight. The Red Sox picked up their first win in four games, and the offense came back with authority.
Game Four
The final game of the series saw David Price (14-6, 3.50 ERA) on the mound for the Red Sox, and Adam Plukto (4-4, 5.09 ERA) for the Indians. Price threw what may be his best game of the season, throwing eight shutout innings allowing only three hits and striking out seven. The Red Sox offense made sure it would be one to remember, as they gave Price six runs in the fifth inning. A Swihart double, Bogaerts double, and an Eduardo Núñez double got it done for the Red Sox, and a Martinez RBI-single in the seventh gave Boston a 7-0 lead over the Indians. After a dreadful start to the series, the Red Sox were glad to draw even with an emphatic win.
