It wasn’t Kutter Crawford’s day, as he faltered mightily in his major-league debut. The Indians took the series finale over the Red Sox, 11-5, as they avoided the sweep of Boston.
Crawford loaded the bases to start Cleveland’s top half of the first, after a walk and back-to-back base hits. The Tribe took the lead with back-to-back sac flies from Bobby Bradley and Harold Ramirez.
The Indians didn’t stop there, as Myles Straw slapped an RBI single into center in the second before the righty served up a two-run jack to Franmil Reyes in the third. Crawford walked Bradley, and John Schreiber was summoned from the bullpen to make his first Red Sox appearance. He didn’t stop the bleeding though, as he let up an RBI single to Bradley Zimmer after Ramirez doubled to make it 6-0 in just the third.
With Fenway Park quiet as could be, Schreiber did salvage two more scoreless innings of work.
The crowd did see some life in the fifth, however. Back-to-back no-out doubles from Hunter Renfroe and J.D. Martinez put the Sox on the board, and back-to-back RBI hits from Kevin Plawecki and Travis Shaw (double, after it was inches away from going out) made it 6-3 in the fifth. With runners on second and third, however, pinch-hitter Rafael Devers struck out to retire the side.
Martinez cut the deficit to one run with a two-run homer into the bullpen in the following inning.
Stephen Gonsalves, Ryan Brasier, and Hansel Robles hurled a trio of scoreless frames, but Phillips Valdez had a forgettable ninth inning.
Hoping to keep it a one-run ballgame, Valdez let up five runs in the ninth to put it out of reach. Fans started to leave the exits, as the Indians strung together four RBI hits while the 11th run scored on an error from shortstop Jonathan Arauz.
The Sox fall to 79-60 on the season and will host the Rays for a three-game set.
(Photo of J.D. Martinez By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)