The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Tribe comes up short against Boston
Veteran takes shutout into eighth; Zimmer HR lone offense
BOSTON » Doug Fister finally ended a long drought and rookie Rafael Devers continued his torrid start in the big leagues.
Fister took a shutout into the eighth inning, Devers went 4 for 4 and drove in a run and the Red Sox beat the Indians, 6-2.
Bradley Zimmer hit a tworun homer for AL Centralleading Cleveland, which lost its second straight after a season-high nine-game winning streak.
Fister (1-5), claimed off waivers from the Angels on June 23, was pulled after giving up Zimmer’s homer with two outs in the eighth. He allowed two runs and five hits, walking two and striking out five.
“He kind of put on a clinic,” Indians manager Terry Francona said.
In six big-league games, the 20-year-old Devers is batting .417 (10 for 24) with four RBI.
“He’s come very fast, this year particularly,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “It helps that he’s gotten off to a good start to build some confidence.”
Devers said he’s felt relaxed since he’s come up.
“I feel very comfortable,” he said through a translator. “I’m just playing my game and things are going well right now.”
For the 33-year-old Fister, it was his first win since August 22nd of last season when he was with Houston, ending a 10-game losing streak.
“A long time coming,” he said. “There’s been a lot of trials and tribulations that come with it.”
Mookie Betts stopped his mini-slump by driving in three runs with two singles, and Eduardo Nunez added three hits and two RBIs for the Red Sox, who won for the third time in nine games.
Brandon Workman got
the final four outs.
Mike Clevinger (5-4) gave up five runs and seven hits in three innings.
“I just wasn’t finding the zone. I was staying low, but I couldn’t seem to find that outside half,” he said. “There’s bad times and good times. I think this is a really good team and we’ll be just fine.”
Betts, the runner-up for last season’s AL MVP award, flied out with the bases loaded to end a loss Sunday and was 3 for his last 27 without an RBI.
Before the game, both clubs beat the non-waiver trade deadline and added bullpen help. The Red Sox picked up right-hander Addison Reed from the Mets for three 22-year-old righthanded pitching prospects.
The Indians acquired righty Joe Smith from Toronto
for two minor leaguers.
Betts’ two-run single sparked a three-run second. He scored on Nunez’s double.
In the fourth, Betts added another RBI single, and Nunez added a run-scoring single.
Trainer’s room
Indians: 2B Jason Kipnis (hamstring) and OF Lonnie Chisenhall (calf) are both working back from injuries so the club concentrated on bullpen help. “We’re in a little bit of a unique spot where we have a couple of guys coming back,” Francona said.
Roster moves
The Indians placed RHP Josh Tomlin on the 10-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.