Guardians Drubbed In Beantown Rubber Match, 7-1

Cleveland Guardians v Boston Red Sox

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 30: Myles Straw #7 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts to being called out on strikes during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 30, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.Photo: Winslow Townson/Getty Images

Inclement weather threatened the rubber match between the Cleveland Guardians and the Boston Red Sox. However, one team's bats stayed warm overnight after game two's high-scoring affair, 8-7, in 10 innings: a Red Sox victory. Today, while the Guardians struggled to score, the Red Sox staged a late-inning offensive explosion to take the series, 7-1. The Guardians were outhit, 9-4, and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Boston's Chris Sale entered with a 1-2 record and a 6.83 ERA, but was in All-Star form, allowing one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings as he took the win. His counterpart, Cleveland's Logan Allen, was also effective despite taking the loss. He allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, but struck out eight batters for the second time in as many career starts. Allen even struck out the side in the fourth inning.

Nevertheless, the Red Sox struck first in the fifth - Connor Wong singled, then reached third base on Jarren Duran's ground-rule double. Two batters later, Alex Verdugo hit a two-run single, putting Boston ahead 2-0. Steven Kwan started the Guardians' comeback attempt in the sixth with a leadoff double, then scored when Amed Rosario singled and reached second base on a throwing error. Jose Ramirez flied out deep enough to allow Rosario to reach third with one out, but he was stranded after Chris Sale retired the next two batters. The Red Sox responded in the bottom of the frame off of relief pitcher, Nick Sandlin. Christian Arroyo reached on a one-out single, then Connor Wong hit a two-run home run, extending Boston's lead to 4-1.

Boston continued the onslaught in the seventh when Peyton Battenfield entered the game. First, Alex Verdugo drove a solo homerun down the right-field line, near Pesky's Pole. Later with two outs, Rafael Devers and Masataka Yoshida drew back-to-back walks, then scored on Christian Arroyo's double off of the centerfield wall, just short of clearing it, setting the final tally of 7-1.

With this outcome, the Guardians have lost each of the last four series, two games to one. They will meet the Red Sox again at Progressive Field from June 6-8. Meanwhile, the Guardians will meet the New York Yankees for a three-game series in the Bronx, starting tomorrow at 7:05 PM. The Yankees won two of the three games during the Guardians' opening homestand.


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