Boston, MA – Mike Carp hit a three-run homer to back seven strong innings from John Lackey, as the Boston Red Sox took down the Cleveland Indians, 8-1, in the second test of a four-game series.
Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury both knocked in two runs for the Red Sox, who bounced back from a 12-3 loss in the series opener on Thursday. Mike Napoli had an RBI and scored once.
Lackey (3-4) allowed just one unearned run on two hits while striking out eight and walking three.
"John had some good intensity tonight throughout," said manager John Farrell. "He's not thinking about anything that's taken place in the past, either performance-wise or injury-wise, and he's going out and competing at a high level right now."
On Friday, the Red Sox placed outfielder Shane Victorino and third baseman Will Middlebrooks on the 15-day disabled list and recalled pitcher Alfredo Aceves and shortstop Jose Iglesias from Triple-A Pawtucket. Iglesias played third base and went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Cleveland starter Justin Masterson (7-3) gave up five runs on six hits over six-plus innings against his former team. The right-hander, who was a second- round pick of Boston in 2006, brought a scoreless-innings streak of 19 into Friday's game.
"I was hanging a lot of sliders," Masterson said. "I wasn't getting through a lot of pitches like I wanted to. If I didn't hang a slider, I was hitting someone in the back foot with it. I just got in some bad counts. I didn't as feel as good as I would've liked to, but we tried to battle and work through it."
The start of the game was delayed by 44 minutes due to rain, and a light drizzle occurred throughout the contest.
The Red Sox scored all the runs they would need in the second. David Ortiz walked and Napoli singled to begin the frame. Two batters later, Carp smacked Masterson's offering over the wall in right.
Cleveland scored its lone run of the game in the third. Mark Reynolds and Michael Brantley hit consecutive singles to get things started. Following two quick outs, the Indians pulled off a double steal. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia's throw to third sailed into left field, which allowed Reynolds to score. Jason Kipnis walked and stole a base to put men on second and third. However, Asdrubal Cabrera grounded out to keep it a 3-1 game.
Boston tacked on another run in the sixth. Daniel Nava was hit by a pitch and Pedroia and Ortiz singled to load the bases. A run scored when Napoli grounded into a force out.
The Red Sox scored four runs in the seventh to turn the game into a rout. Ellsbury and Pedroia both hit two-run singles to make it an 8-1 contest.
Koji Uehara and Aceves each tossed a scoreless inning of relief to secure the victory.
Game Notes
Indians manager Terry Francona led the Red Sox to two World Series titles during his eight-year stint as the club's skipper. He was let go after Boston's late-season collapse in 2011 left them out of the playoffs, but ended his tenure with a 744-552 record ... Boston also activated catcher David Ross from the 7-day concussion disabled list and optioned catcher Ryan Lavarnway to Pawtucket ... Masterson fell to 3-3 lifetime against Boston ... Cleveland activated first baseman Nick Swisher from the paternity list and optioned infielder Cord Phelps to Triple-A Columbus.
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