Offense fizzles, bullpen slips as Red Sox fall to Indians 3-2

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher

(Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

A day after posting a season-high 10 runs and notching their second consecutive win (seventh straight at home), the Boston Red Sox’ bats went cold and their usually stalwart bullpen failed them as the Cleveland Indians to scored two late runs en route to a 3-2 upset at Fenway Park.

Red Sox’ starter Jake Peavy (1-4), faced 28 Cleveland batters but yielded only one run. Peavy was like a fighter on the ropes throughout his six innings of work. Despite putting runners on base repeatedly, he battled to keep them off the scoreboard. The Indians stranded 13 base runners and were 0-11 with men in scoring position.

Peavy threw 105 pitches, gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out five. He was eligible to record a victory with Boston leading 2-1 after six innings.

In the top of the seventh though, Craig Breslow allowed consecutive singles to Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Brantley to open the inning. With runners on first and third and no outs, Jason Kipnis grounded to second base. Dustin Pedroia opted to throw home to prevent Cabrera from scoring, but catcher A.J. Pierzynski mishandled the throw and the game was tied.

Breslow retired Lonnie Chisenhall and Nick Swisher but then walked David Murphy to load the bases, before being replaced on the mound by Junichi Tazawa.

Tazawa walked Carlos Santana on five pitches forcing in Brantley with the go ahead run.

Andrew Miller and Koji Uehara had scoreless outings afterward but the Red Sox were out of answers offensively.

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first when David Ortiz doubled to deep right field, driving in Xander Bogaerts, who had singled earlier, from first base.

The Indians tied the score in the third when Michael Bourn hit a one-out single to center field and Cabrera followed with a double to right. He was out attempting to reach third on the play.

The Red Sox went ahead in the sixth when Pedroia doubled off Cleveland starter T.J. House (0-1) and took third on a ground out by Ortiz.

House was replaced by John Axford who walked Mike Napoli. Jonny Gomes then followed with a slow-hit ground ball to short stop and beat the throw to first from Kipnis in a failed attempt to turn a double play. Pedroia scored on the play for a 2-1 Boston lead.

The Red Sox grounded into three other twin killings though, left seven runners on base and were hitless with men in scoring position. They had nine hits, including doubles by Ortiz, Pedroia and Brock Holt, who played right field for the first time in his professional career.

Axford (2-3) was credited with the win. Breslow (2-2) took the loss.

The Red Sox send Brandon Workman to the mound at 1:30 tomorrow to face Corey Kluber in the series finale.