CLEVELAND (AP) — Red Sox ace Chris Sale was battered while matching the shortest start of his career, and rookie Yandy Diaz got four hits as the Cleveland Indians beat Boston 13-6 Thursday night in a matchup of division leaders.
Sale (14-6) was tagged for seven runs on seven hits and three walks in just three innings. Cleveland’s injury-riddled lineup, held to a combined four hits by the Red Sox in the previous two games, erupted against one of the top contenders for the AL Cy Young Award and roughed up Boston’s bullpen.
Diaz was 4 for 4 and fell a home run short of the cycle and Giovanny Urshela drove in a career-high four runs. Jay Bruce and Francisco Lindor homered as the Indians had 18 hits, one short of their season high.
The Indians scored four times in the second inning and added three more in the second as Sale’s problems against Cleveland continued. The All-Star lefty is 5-8 with a 4.87 ERA in 29 career appearances vs. the Indians.
Sale gave up six earned runs in this loss, the fourth time he’d ever gone only three innings. He yielded a season-high seven earned runs in five innings against the Indians on Aug. 1 at Fenway Park.
Trevor Bauer (13-8) allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings and won his sixth straight decision.
Mitch Moreland homered twice for Boston and drove in four runs in the 11th multihomer game of his career.
Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts exited in the seventh inning with a bruised right knee after a diving attempt for Jose Ramirez’s double.
Indians first baseman Carlos Santana missed his third straight game because of back tightness. Cleveland is also playing without second baseman Jason Kipnis (strained right hamstring), and outfielders Michael Brantley (sprained right ankle) and Lonnie Chisenhall (strained right calf).
The Indians were held to one hit by Boston’s Doug Fister on Tuesday — a leadoff home run by Lindor. Cleveland had three hits Wednesday, with the only run coming on Edwin Encarnacion’s homer.
Cleveland got going against Sale in the second. Roberto Perez and Lindor had RBI singles, Urshela drove in a run with a groundball and another scored on third baseman Rafael Devers’ throwing error.
The Indians kept rolling in the third. Diaz had an RBI double and Urshela added a two-run single.
Sale also had to dodge a piece of a broken bat that sailed past the mound in the second. Urshela’s bat shattered while hitting a grounder up the middle, causing Sale to lean out of the way.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia (left knee inflammation) will take infield practice Friday at Fenway Park, marking his first outdoor work since going on the disabled list on Aug. 9.
Indians: Manager Terry Francona said the team is working through a rehab plan for LHP Andrew Miller (right knee tendinitis). The ace reliever is on the DL for the second time this month with the injury.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello opens a three-game home series with Baltimore. He has won a season-high four straight starts, striking out 23 over 24 1/3 innings with a 4.07 ERA.
Indians: LHP Ryan Merritt begins a three-game set against Kansas City. He will be recalled from Triple-A Columbus to make his first career start at Progressive Field.