Red Sox recap: Jarren Duran with Boston's 1st straight steal of home since Jacoby Ellsbury; Walker Buehler wins third straight start

After the Red Sox dropped the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Guardians, Boston scored six runs over the first three innings in the nightcap, highlighted by the steal of home by Jarren Duran, en route to a 7-3 win over Cleveland in Game 2. 

The speedy outfielder became the first Red Sox player with a straight steal of home since Jacoby Ellsbury did it exactly 16 years ago (April 26, 2009) against the Yankees.

Duran’s epic moment of the game was set up after he recorded his third triple of the season in the third, which scored catcher Carlos Narváez to make it 5-0 at the time.

“First of all the triple, that’s exciting,” Alex Cora said. “And for him to do it right away that was great. It was fun to watch.”

Standing on third base, Duran saw Nikhazy had his back turned to him, and he increased his lead before he broke for him with the lefty beginning his windup. He was at the plate by the time Nikhazy threw the ball to the catcher, Bo Naylor, sliding his hand across the plate just ahead of the tag.

“I had to make up for Seattle because I was farther down the line in Seattle, and I didn’t go,” Duran said. “But yeah, just to keep the offense going and cause a little chaos and keep the momentum on our side was a big thing.”

Duran stole home twice last year, but neither was a straight steal. The last time he had a straight steal of home was in the minors. 

“His decision,” Cora said. “The guy went from the windup, and (third baseman José) Ramírez was playing deep. He’s done it before in the minor leagues. So he saw it, and he took off.”

Cora said the Red Sox also saw Nikhazy go from the windup with runners on base earlier in the game.

“I think it was the previous inning when he was struggling with command,” Cora said. “There were bases loaded. He was going from the stretch, and then he went from the windup. And we noticed it. And right there he declared to go from the windup, and (Duran) took off.”

Duran knew he had the home stolen the second he decided to run.

“I knew I had it,” Duran said. “When it went to review, I didn’t think they were going to overturn it because the way I slid and the way I got in, I knew I had it for sure.”

Duran entered the game 3-for-31 against lefties this year, faced Guardians rookie southpaw Doug Nikhazy, and went 3-for-5 on the night with two RBI and three runs scored in the second game of the doubleheader.

Following the game, Duran told NESN’s Jahmai Webster that he and third base coach Kyle Hudson had noticed the Guardians lefty was pitching from the windup even with the runner on third. His keen awareness on the bases allowed Duran to take advantage and try to steal home on the next pitch.

“He’s one of the most exciting players in baseball,” Walker Buehler said about Duran after the game to reporters. “I’ve watched him from afar and seen a lot of it from afar. Obviously I don’t think he’s off to the start that he kind of wanted to. But there’s nobody in baseball that more often can hit a triple and steal home. The past couple of weeks he’s hitting the (expletive) out of the ball. He’s hitting the ball hard. And now it’s kind of coming to fruition for him.”

SOX OFFENSE WOKE UP

In the first game, the Red Sox offense put three runs on the board in the first off a Wilyer Abreu three-run homer and got a solo homer from Rafael Devers that went 381 feet into the right field seats. That was the only offense the Sox could muster, and the Guardians stifled the lineup the remainder of the game.

Trevor Story snapped his 0 for 17 slump with an RBI single in the top of the first to put the Sox up 1-0. Boston added three more runs in the second; Duran drove in the first of those three runs with an RBI single. Devers added an RBI double, and then left-specialist Rob Refsynder drew a walk with the bases loaded to plate another run.

Story has been one of the Red Sox’ streakiest hitters this season.

“It’s part of the season,” Alex Cora said after Game 1. “It’s 162. And we’re not going to be hot the whole time. We’ve just gotta keep working hard, keep getting better, and try to be a little bit more consistent."

Duran put the Sox up 6-0 after he stole home. The Sox added another run in the sixth after Duran, Devers, and Alex Bregman strung together three straight singles to lead off the frame.

Bregman’s weak single should have led to a double play but was misplayed, and Duran scored, making it 7-3.

BUEHLER STRONG AGAIN

Buehler improved to 4-1 after he allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings. The righty is 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA over his last four starts. He's won four of his last five starts. 

In total, he struck out three Guardians with one walk, tossing 87 pitches, 60 of them for strikes, in the outing.

Buehler held Cleveland scoreless through the first three innings before surrendering three runs in the fourth after an Angel Martinez RBI single and a two-run home run by Jhonkensy Noel.

BULLPEN IN CONTROL

The Red Sox bullpen shone in relief of Buehler, with lefty Justin Wilson throwing a scoreless seventh. Justin Slaten delivered a scoreless eighth inning, while Aroldis Chapman, the hard-throwing closer, effectively ended the game in the ninth.

Chapman ended the game with a 103.4 and 102.4 mph fastball, according to Baseball Savant.

SERIES FINALE ON SUNDAY

The Sox and Guardians will play the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:40 p.m. Brayan Bello (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will make his second start of the year and face lefty Logan Allen (1-1, 2.11 ERA).