Encarnacion powers Tribe past Red Sox

Tribe has season-best five-game lead over the Twins in the AL Central

BOSTON » After popping out with the bases loaded in the second inning, Edwin Encarnacion went into the Indians’ clubhouse, threw his bat in anger and broke it.

“You know, normal stuff like that,” he said with a smile Aug. 14 after homering his next two times up — a pair of two-run shots — to lead the AL Centralleading Indians to their fourth straight victory, 7-3, over the East-leading Boston Red Sox.

In a rematch of last year’s ALDS, which Cleveland won in a three-game sweep, the Indians opened a 3-0 lead in the second before Encarnacion hit his rallykilling popup. The Red Sox tied it with three solo homers — two by Rafael Devers, and one by Andrew Benintendi — before Encarnacion came up again in the fifth.

After Jose Ramirez’s leadoff double, Encarnacion cleared the Green Monster and the seats above it to give the Indians a 5-3 lead.

“I was like, ‘OK, here we go. That’s all they’re going to get,’” said Trevor Bauer (11-8), who struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings for his fourth straight win.

“Pitching 5-3 is a lot different than pitching 3-3.”

Encarnacion hit another homer in the sixth to make it 7-3, his third multihomer game this season and the 28th of his career.

Indians manager Terry Francona said he could tell his designated hitter was upset with himself from the earlier at-bat.

“When he’s going well, he has a different gear,” Francona said. “Tonight’s a good example of that.”

Bauer allowed three runs — all on solo homers by the Red Sox rookies — on seven hits and two walks as the Indians improved to a season-high five games in front of the second-place Minnesota Twins, who were idle.

Eduardo Nunez had three singles for Boston, which lost for just the second time in 12 games.

Makeup day

The quick visit to Fenway Park by the Indians was to make up an Aug. 2 rainout that came two days after Doug Fister (2-6) shut out Cleveland into the eighth inning. But this time he allowed five runs on seven hits and four walks, striking out five in 4 1/3 innings as his two-game winning streak ended.

“A guy that’s going to pitch to contact is going to give up some hits inside the course of a given game,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “But the additional baserunners on the walks — that was the difference in this one.”

Up next

INDIANS » Start a threegame series at Minnesota on Aug. 15. RHP Danny Salazar (4-5) faces RHP Bartolo Colon (2-1).

CHARLES KRUPA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Edwin Encarnacion is congratulated by Jose Ramirez after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning Aug. 14 in Boston. Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez, right, looks away.

CHARLES KRUPA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Red Sox’s Jackie Bradley Jr. reacts after striking out during the ninth inning against the Indians on Aug. 14 in Boston.

CHARLES KRUPA — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Indians’ Bradley Zimmer, left, slides as he is forced out by Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland.