Guardians 2 - 5 Red Sox
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Ortiz, Holt power Red Sox past Indians

Jun 13, 2014 - 4:27 AM Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - David Ortiz and Brock Holt each drove in two runs to ignite an offensive breakout for the Boston Red Sox, who kicked off a seven-game homestand with a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Indians.

After mustering a mere one run during a three-game series in Baltimore that concluded a 2-7 road trip -- which began with three losses to the Indians -- the Red Sox totaled 12 hits to support 7 2/3 effective innings from Jon Lester.

Ortiz swatted a two-run homer, Holt doubled in a pair as part of a 2-for-4 night and Daniel Nava finished with three hits in the victory.

Lester (7-7) did his part as well, scattering eight hits while holding Cleveland to two runs, only one of which was earned.

Josh Tomlin (4-3) was saddled with the loss, the Indians' third straight following a 9-1 stretch, after being reached for four runs -- three earned -- on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Jason Kipnis went 2-for-4 with a two-run single to pace Cleveland offensively.

Ortiz delivered the game's biggest blow, which came after Cleveland manager Terry Francona gambled and lost with his decision to have Tomlin pitch to the dangerous slugger with two out, Jackie Bradley Jr. on third and Boston clinging to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Tomlin was able to get ahead of Ortiz, who entered the at-bat 0-for-10 lifetime against the right-hander, but left a belt-high fastball that was walloped over the wall in center to extend the Red Sox' advantage.

"I made a bad pitch to Ortiz there and he made me pay for it," Tomlin said. "That kind of changed the outlook of the game."

Cleveland finally got to Lester, who hadn't allowed a runner past second through five innings of play, in the sixth to close the gap. An error by the Boston ace and Michael Brantley's double put two men on for Kipnis, who ripped a hard ground ball under the glove of a diving Dustin Pedroia at second to plate both runners and bring the Indians within 3-2.

Jonathan Herrera chased Tomlin with a triple in the bottom of the sixth, however, before Holt followed a walk to Bradley with a clutch opposite-field double that gave Boston back some separation.

"We're hitting the ball hard," said Holt. "We were able to get some two-out hits today."

The Indians didn't mount another threat, with Koji Uehara retiring the side in order in the ninth to register his 14th save in as many chances.

Boston opened the scoring in the second on Grady Sizemore's ground-rule double that brought home Mike Napoli, who had reached on a throwing error by Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera. The Red Sox later loaded the bases with none out in the frame, though Tomlin limited the damage by getting Herrera to hit into a double play and fanning Bradley.

Game Notes

Kipnis extended his hitting streak to 10 games ... Lester improved to 7-1 in 14 lifetime starts against Cleveland ... Nick Swisher, activated from the 15- day disabled list by the Indians prior to the game, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his return to the lineup ... The loss was Cleveland's fourth straight and seventh in its last eight visits to Fenway ... Uehara has now converted 30 straight regular-season save opportunities dating back to last July.






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