All you need to know, in quickie form. about the Red Sox' 10-4 win over the Indians, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Mitch Moreland snaps out of it: Since the All-Star break, the Red Sox' first baseman had been slumping, with a slash line of .186/.226/.349 and just three homers in the last 23 games. Alex Cora said before Wednesday's game that while he detected Moreland having some balance issues at the plate, he was encouraged by some recent at-bats and noted that he advised Moreland to return to the approach he had used in the first half, when he was unafraid to go the other way and utilized the entire field. Sure enough, Moreland did some of that. He hit a hard shot right up the middle in his second at-bat that, unfortunately for him, was hit directly at second baseman Erik Gonzalez. But Moreland's luck soon turned. He lined a single to left in the fourth, then drilled a ball on a line into the Boston bullpen. "I hit a couple where they weren't standing,'' cracked Moreland. "That helped a little bit. I feel like as of late, I've hit a ball or two hard every game and not had the best luck. But I felt like I had been trending in the right direction.''
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Johnson does his job again: Spot starter Brian Johnson fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first, but settled in thereafter, retiring 10 of the next 13 hitters he faced. After a leadoff walk in the fifth and a flyout, he got the hook, but not before holding the Indians in check after the first and giving them a chance. The Sox are 8-2 in the 10 games he's started this season, even though Johnson has only been awarded four wins in those 10 victories. "Other than (the homer to Edwin Encarnacion in the first),'' said Johnson, "I felt like I got into a good rhythm for the rest of the game. Obviously, it was a shorter outing, but I felt good.'' Since he was pulled two outs shy of qualifying for the win, he got a no-decision, but Cora was quick to give him credit. "He threw the ball well,'' said Cora. "I know (pitchers) like the W's but with him, his role has been a good one for us as a starter or reliever. Sometimes, he doesn't pitch for a while, but he's been amazing for us. We're very happy with the way he's performed. He's an important part of this team.''
Return of the long ball: Until Wednesday night, the Red Sox had gone three straight games -- at home, no less -- without hitting a single homer and hitting just one in the previous six games combined. That played a factor in them losing the first two games of the series, with the Indians powering the ball out of Fenway left and right. But the power returned for the Sox in the win, as Xander Bogaerts belted two solo homers and Moreland contributing a two-run shot. How important are homers for the Red Sox? Consider that they're 71-17 when they hit at least one homer and under .500 (18-22) when they don't hit any. And, when they hit three -- as they did in this one -- they're 14-1.
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TURNING POINT
The Indians clawed back against the Red Sox, shaving a 6-2 deficit down to 6-4 through five. But in the sixth, Moreland's two-run laser shot into the home bullpen re-established a more comfortable lead. The Sox kept adding on after that -- with a run in both the seventh and eighth -- and were never threatened again.
TWO UP
Andrew Benintendi: Benintendi didn't contribute any of the three homers hit, but he did produce the biggest hit of the night: a bases-clearing, opposite-field double in the fourth that stretched the Red Sox lead from 3-2 to 5-2.
Ian Kinsler: At the plate, Kinsler rapped out two singles in his first two trips to the plate. In the field, he made a brilliant play to haul in a high feed from third baseman Brock Holt and though the Sox didn't get the force at second, Kinsler's throw to first was in time to get the batter.
TWO DOWN
Heath Hembree: Hembree has been the reliever the Red Sox turn to in the middle of innings with baserunners on, but that strategy didn't pay off Wednesday. He came in with one on and one out in the fifth and, after recording a flyout, gave up a two-run homer.
Joe Kelly: Brought on for the eighth with the Sox leading by a handful of runs, Kelly needed to attack the strike zone and let the ball be put in play. Instead, his command was off -- he allowed a single, a walk and required 27 pitches to get three outs.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"We struggled during the week, but that was more like us.''
— Cora on the team's offensive rebound.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The win was the Red Sox' 38th come-from-behind victory of the year after falling behind 2-0 in the first.
- Boston improved to 45-18 at home, for an MLB-best .714 winning percentage.
- J.D. Martinez has reached base in his last nine plate appearances with RISP.
- Benintendi enjoyed his eighth game this season with three or more RBI.
- Kinsler has reached base in 22 of his last 23 starts.