Final: Red Sox 3, Indians 2
The Red Sox picked up their sixth walkoff win of the season, this time Jacoby Ellsbury did the honors. With runners on first and second and the Sox knotted with the Indians at 2 in the bottom of the ninth, Ellsbury stroked a single to center field. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, pinch running for Jason Varitek, raced around to score the winning run.
It was Ellsbury’s only hit of the night, and it was his first career walkoff RBI. Josh Beckett went six innings, striking out seven, but gave up home runs to Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall.
In the sixth inning, Kevin Youkilis’s solo shot off the Sports Authority sign over the Monster tied the game at 2. But in the eighth, he was ejected by first base umpire Gerry Davis for arguing a check-swing strikeout.
Youkilis tried to hold up on a 3-and-2 pitch. Hope plate umpire Todd Tichenor checked with Davis, who said Youkilis went around. Youkilis argued as he walked up the first base line then off to the dugout. Still, the Sox rallied in the ninth. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth to set the Sox up in the bottom half. He picked up the win to improve to 3-0.
Top of the ninth, Indians 2, Red Sox 2: Jonathan Papelbon blows through the Indians' 5-6-7 hitters, setting the Sox up with a chance to do something in the bottom half.
Bottom of the eighth, Indians 2, Red Sox 2: Kevin Youkilis was ejected by first base umpire Gerry Davis arguing a check-swing third strike. The count was full, Dustin Pedroia was one second base and Youkilis, who homored in the sixth inning to tie it, tried to hold back. Home plate umpire Todd Tichenor checked with Davis who said he went around.
Youkilis yelled a few words walking up the first baseline but toward to dugout and got the heave-ho. Manager Terry Francona came out of the dugout to have some workds with Davis as well. The Sox's inning stalled there. David Ortiz got a free pass to first, but Carl Crawford popped up to short to end the inning.
Top of the eighth, Indians 2, Red Sox 2: Morales tosses his second scoreless innings, ringing up Jason Kapnis and Asdrubal Cabrera to give him three Ks.
Bottom of the seventh, Indians 2, Red Sox 2: Joe Smith tosses a 1-2-3 inning. Josh Reddick pinch hit for Darnell McDonald but struck out on four pitches.
Top of the seventh, Indians 2, Red Sox 2: Josh Beckett came in after the sixth, handing it over to Franklin Morales who hung a '0' up.
Bottom of the sixth, Indians 2, Red Sox 2: Kevin Youkilis belts a 2-and-1 offering from Perez over the Monster and off the Sports Authority sign to tie it. It's his 16th home run.
Top of the sixth, Indians 2, Red Sox 1: Beckett keeps Cleveland in check. Meanwhile, the Indians go into their bullpen sending Rafael Perez to the mound. Starter David Huff threw five innings giving up just the unearned run in the second.
Bottom of the fifth, Indians 2, Red Sox 1: A double-play kills an inning that had some potential after Jacoby Ellsbury reached with one out when Asdrubal Cabrera mishandled a groundball at short then Dustin Pedroia reached on a single to right. But Adrian Gonzalez grounded to second and the Indians had all day to turn two.
Top of the fifth, Indians 2, Red Sox 1: Josh Beckett's up to six strikeouts now after retiring the Indians in order. It was the first time he faced the minimum all night.
Bottom of the fourth, Indians 2, Red Sox 1: The Sox go down silently. Huff fanned Crawford and Varitek. The Sox have just two hits thus far.
Top of the fourth, Indians 2, Red Sox 1: Lonnie Chisenhall smacked a solo shot over the right field wall to put Cleveland back up. So far in the two games, eight of the Indians' 11 runs have come off the long ball.
Bottom of the third, Indians 1, Red Sox 1: All David Ortiz could do was shake his head after sending a line drive screaming at Matt LaPorta only to see him glove it for the third out. He left Adrian Gonzalez stranded.
Top of the third, Indians 1, Red Sox 1: Josh Beckett's thankful to still have a glove and a hand after Jason Kipnis sent a rocket back to the mound. Beckett took it right in the pocket of his glove and it was too hot to hold on to. He gathered it in time enough to get Kipnis at first. Asdrubal Cabrera doubled for the Indians' only hit of the inning.
Bottom of the second, Indians 1, Red Sox 1: The Indians cough up a run thanks to a Kipnis error and a third-strike wild pitch from David Huff. David Ortiz worked a nine-pitch walk to start the inning. Then, on a Car Crawford bouncer to short that should have been a double-play ball, he stayed alive when Kipnes dropped throw from Asdrubal Cabrera.
Ortiz moved to third on a single by Mike Aviles (starting in place of Marco Scutaro) and scored when Huff threw one by Jason Varitek but also by his catcher Carlos Santana. That being said, Huff struck out the side. But by no means was it pretty.
Top of the second, Indians 1, Red Sox 0: Singles by Kosuke Fukudome and Matt LaPorta were harmless. Josh Beckett's got a trio of strikeouts.
Bottom of the first, Indians 1, Red Sox 0: Adrian Gonzalez's double off the Wall was the lone hit of the inning for the Sox. Kevin Youkilis struck out, good morning, good afternoon, goodnight to end the inning.
Top of the first, Indians 1, Red Sox 0: Jason Kipnis sent the last pitch he saw Monday night over the fence and did the same thing with the first pitch he saw tonight, taking Josh Beckett for a ride. He's got three home runs this season.
- Peter Abraham, Globe Red Sox beat reporter
- Nick Cafardo, Globe national baseball writer
- Michael Vega, Globe Red Sox reporter
- Chad Finn, Boston.com/Globe sports reporter







