Indians Beat Buchholz, Red Sox 4-2
BOSTON -- Jason Kipnis launched a three-run home run, Corey Kluber held the Boston Red Sox bats in check over seven innings and the Cleveland Indians won 4-2 in the opener of a three-game series Friday night at Fenway Park.
Kipnis' blast was his sixth of the season. Jose Ramirez also had an RBI for Cleveland (22-17), which has scored 47 runs during its five-game winning streak.
The Indians scored 43 during a four-game, home-and-home series sweep of the Cincinnati Reds entering Friday.
Kluber (3-5) allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six to stifle a Red Sox lineup that outscored opponents 73-37 during a 6-1 homestand before proceeding to lose three of their next four games.
The 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner had lost back-to-back starts.
Cody Allen pitched the ninth for his 10th save.
Jackie Bradley Jr. stretched his career-high and major league-leading hitting streak to 25 games with a solo home run in the Red Sox's second -- his eighth of the year.
Xander Bogaerts also extended his career-best 14-game hitting streak and had an RBI for Boston (25-17), which has homered in a franchise-record 20 consecutive games.
Clay Buchholz (2-4) gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits and four walks and struck out three over six innings for the Red Sox.
Bogaerts brought Boston's first run home with a one-out, RBI groundout in the first inning and Bradley's streak-stretching blast led off the second.
Cleveland answered with a four-run third, highlighted by Kipnis' bomb. Francisco Lindor later scored on Jose Ramirez's sacrifice fly, tagging from third and barely beating Bradley's on-target heave from left-center to the plate.
NOTES: Boston honored the 2016 Red Sox Hall of Fame inductees -- former pitcher Tim Wakefield, former catcher Jason Varitek, president/CEO emeritus Larry Lucchino and the late Ira Flagstead -- in a pregame ceremony Friday. The four were enshrined Thursday night at nearby Sheraton Boston Hotel. ... Red Sox OF/INF Brock Holt (mild concussion) was placed on the seven-day disabled list. C/LF Blake Swihart was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket and started in left field. ... Boston also placed RHP Carson Smith (right elbow soreness) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Noe Ramirez from Pawtucket. ... Cleveland RHP Carlos Carrasco (strained left hamstring) threw a 38-pitch simulated game Thursday. ... Indians RHP Trevor Bauer (3-1, 3.89 ERA) battles Red Sox RHP Joe Kelly (1-0, 9.35 ERA) on Saturday. Kelly, on the DL since April 20 with a right shoulder impingement, will be activated before the game.
