Pomeranz outduels Kluber in statement Red Sox win over Indians
Drew Pomeranz led the Boston Red Sox past the Cleveland Indians in MLB, while Rich Hill starred in a Los Angeles Dodgers loss.
Pomeranz exited his last start after just 3.1 innings because of back spasms, but the Red Sox pitcher was back on the mound Wednesday and was excellent in a 6-1 win over the Indians.
Pomeranz struck out nine over 5.1 scoreless innings to improve his record to 13-4. The 28-year-old lefty walked four, but only allowed two hits in a solid start as the Red Sox got a statement win.
Indians ace Corey Kluber pitched well, striking out 12 with just one walk and four hits over 7.2 innings, but a fifth-inning home run by Mitch Moreland broke a scoreless tie. Mookie Betts than gave Boston a 2-0 lead with an RBI single off Kluber in the eighth.
Boston lead the American League (AL) East by 4.5 games while the Indians have the same lead in the AL Central.
WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS
Oakland Athletics 7-8 Baltimore Orioles
Milwaukee Brewers 2-4 San Francisco Giants
Los Angeles Dodgers 0-1 Pittsburgh Pirates
Miami Marlins 0-8 Philadelphia Phillies
Arizona Diamondbacks 2-4 New York Mets
Boston Red Sox 6-1 Cleveland Indians
Chicago Cubs 9-3 Cincinnati Reds
New York Yankees 10-2 Detroit Tigers
Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 Tampa Bay Rays
Seattle Mariners 9-6 Atlanta Braves
Minnesota Twins 3-4 Chicago White Sox
Washington Nationals 1-6 Houston Astros
Colorado Rockies 4-6 Kansas City Royals
San Diego Padres 2-6 St Louis Cardinals
Texas Rangers 7-5 Los Angeles Angels
HILL HEROICS NOT ENOUGH
Dodgers pitcher Hill took a perfect game into the ninth inning and a no-hitter into the 10th, but took the loss after Pittsburgh's Josh Harrison led off the bottom of the 10th with a home run to left. Despite the loss, Hill was superb, striking out 10 without a walk while throwing just 99 pitches in nine-plus innings. The only baserunner before Harrison's homer came on a ninth-inning error.
Chase … are you serious? pic.twitter.com/Isq8jbtVbs
— MLB (@MLB) August 24, 2017
TERRIBLE TWINS
Twins relievers Taylor Rogers and Trevor Hildenberger spoiled a stellar outing by Ervin Santana in a 4-3 loss to the White Sox. Santana struck out eight with just one walk and had allowed two runs – just one earned – off three hits over seven innings before exiting with a 3-2 lead. Rogers then allowed a run in the eighth before Hildenberg served up Tim Anderson's walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.
HARRISON STEPS UP
Harrison's lead-off homer in the 10th barely cleared the left-field wall.
Rich Hill was incredible with 9 no-hit innings, but tonight … @jhay_da_man. #Walkoff pic.twitter.com/M15W0kv53S
— MLB (@MLB) August 24, 2017
RED SOX AT INDIANS
Chris Sale will be on the hill for the Red Sox (73-53) as he tries to add to his Cy Young resume and avenge a loss to the Indians earlier this season. That August 1 outing was the worst of the year for Sale, who allowed seven runs off of eight hits over five innings. Sale is 14-5 with a 2.62 ERA this season, but is just 5-7 with a 4.81 ERA in 17 starts against the Indians (69-56). Cleveland will have Trevor Bauer (12-8, 4.50 ERA) on the mound.