The Cleveland Indians used three home runs off Rick Porcello to claim a come-from-behind 5-3 victory over the Red Sox Monday night. The loss was Boston's second in a row and marked the first time the Red Sox had lost consecutive games in almost a month.
The Sox raced out to a 3-0 lead after two innings against starter Corey Kluber. But the Indians got on the board with a solo homer by Melky Cabrera in the fifth, tied it on a two-run blast from Michael Brantley in the sixth and took their first lead with a two-run shot by Greg Allen in the seventh.
The three homers were a season high for Porcello.
The Sox managed a run in the ninth off closer Cody Allen, with Mookie Betts scoring from third on an infield roller by Xander Bogaerts. But Allen got Ian Kinsler to fly out with the potential tying run at second and potential winning run on first to secure the visitor's victory.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS
9:28 All five runs off Porcello came as a result of home runs - one solo and two two-run shots. The three homers allowed represent a season high, but are part of a disturbing trend of late: Porcello has allowed at least one homer in each of his last five starts. Eight of his 22 homers allowed this season have come in that stretch.
9:09 For the second time in the last two innings, Porcello mislocates a pitch -- and it costs him dearly. This time, he left a changeup over the heart of the plate to Greg Allen, who drives it out to right, giving the Indians their first lead of the night.
8:46 Catcher Sandy Leon was set up inside on Michael Brantley, but Porcello allowed a slider to leak back over the middle of the plate and Brantley crushed it, sending it over the bullpens in right for a game-tying two-run homer.
8:42 Heading into the top of the sixth, Rick Porcello has retired 11 of the last 12 hitters he's faced. The only one to reach was Melky Cabrera, who led off the fifth with a solo homer into the bullpen.
7:48 Twice in the first two innings, the Red Sox have kick-started rallies against Kluber with two out. Kluber racked up two strikeouts in the first before the Sox pieced together three straight hits, leading to two runs. And here in the second, it's been more of the same: two quick outs, and then three more hits, this time resulting in a single run. It's not easy to string together multiple hits off Kluber, and yet, the Sox have done it twice -- both after two were out.
7:27 Corey Kluber just made a true "pitcher's pitch'' - a curveball that dotted the outside, bottom part of the plate -- and Xander Bogaerts punched it over the head of second baseman Jason Kipnis into right field for a two-run single. A really great piece of hitting.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHAT'S UP: Despite the loss Sunday, the Red Sox continue to own the best record in the game and have won seven of their last nine and 17 of their last 21. They haven't lost a series in their last 13. This is the first meeting of the season between the teams, but seven of the final 36 games on the Red Sox' schedule will come against the Indians, who have the biggest lead of any first-place team. The Indians are coming off a successful homestand and have won eight of their last 10 overall.
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Rick Porcello (15-5, 4.04) vs. RHP Corey Kluber (15-6, 2.68)
TV/RADIO: NESN, MLBN; WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts RF
Benintendi LF
Moreland 1B
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Kinsler 2B
Holt 3B
Leon C
Bradley CF
INDIANS
Lindor SS
Brantley LF
Ramirez 3B
Diaz DH
Alonso 1b
Cabrera RF
Kipnis 2B
Gomes C
Allen CF
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Chris Sale, according to Alex Cora, is "working out, getting treatment...he hasn't thrown yet. We haven't talked about that yet. But he's in good spirits. Whenever he's ready to play catch, that will happen.''
- Catcher Christian Vazquez broken right pinky) is taking some soft-toss swings and has caught some bullpens and made some throws. He's feeling better. Obviously, the hitting part is going to be the hardest part. He already went through the tee work; now, he's progressing to soft-toss. Hopefully, at the end of the week, he can hit off an arm and we'll go from there.'' Cora said the goal is to get Vazquez into some minor league rehab games, but with most minor league seasons coming to an end by Labor Day, time is running short.
- Cora reiterated that he's comfortable with J.D. Martinez hitting fourth rather than third. "I know the top two guys (Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi) are getting on base at a high rate, but that probably gives Mitch (Moreland) and Steve (Pearce) more comfortable at-bats and men in scoring position and then J.D.'s going to be there. Also, I like having Xander (Bogaerts) in the fifth spot - he's been great with men in scoring position, or if they pitch around J.D. or walk him.''