Red Sox top Guardians 7-1 behind Connor Wong, Alex Verdugo home runs
BOSTON - Connor Wong hit a two-run homer, Alex Verdugo singled home a pair of runs and added a late solo homer and the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-1 on a cold and rainy Sunday at Fenway Park.
Chris Sale (2-2) struck out five, holding the Guardians to three hits over 6 1/3 innings. Boston took two of three from Cleveland in the three-game series and climbed one game above .500 at 15-14.
Christian Arroyo added a two-run double during a three-run seventh inning that sealed it for the Red Sox, who overcame a strong start by rookie Logan Allen (1-1) and piled on late runs against Cleveland relievers.
Amed Rosario drove in Cleveland's only run with a single in the sixth inning, one of just four hits for the Guardians.
There was some question whether the game would happen, as clouds dipped low enough to conceal the Boston skyline and the game-time temperature was just 51 degrees. The light rain was enough to keep a few hard-hit balls inside Fenway Park, but not the towering blast by Wong that cleared the Green Monster and put Boston up 4-1 in the sixth against reliever Nick Sandlin.
Sale took a shutout into the sixth before Steven Kwan led off with a double and scored on Rosario's single. Cleveland's best chance at a rally ended with two runners left on base.
Sale then got an out in the seventh inning for the first time since Aug. 8, 2019.
Allen was strong early, holding Boston to one hit through the first four innings and striking out the heart of the Red Sox order on 12 pitches in the fourth. But Boston got to him for a pair of runs in the fifth after Wong led off with a single, Jarren Duran hit a ground-rule double and Verdugo drove in both with a single to left.
Allen limited the damage to just the two runs, getting Rafael Devers looking at strike three to end the inning for his eighth strikeout. That matches his total from his big-league debut a week before in Cleveland's 7-4 win over the Marlins.
STILL GOING
Boston DH Masataka Yoshida bounced a double high off the Green Monster with one out in the second, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: Reinstated RHP Chris Martin (right shoulder inflammation) from the 15-day injured list, adding the veteran reliever to the bullpen. Martin has appeared in seven games for Boston, allowing two runs over seven innings. ... Optioned RHP Kaleb Ort to Triple-A Worcester.
UP NEXT
Guardians: RHP Cal Quantrill (1-2, 5.40 ERA) starts on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at the New York Yankees. RHP Domingo Germán (2-2, 5.54) is scheduled to start for the Yankees.
Red Sox: RHP Corey Kluber (1-4, 6.75), coming off his first win with Boston, starts Monday night against Toronto and RHP José Berríos (2-3, 4.71).