CLEVELAND (AP) — Jarren Duran had Boston’s first straight steal of home since Jacoby Ellsbury exactly 16 years earlier, and the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 Saturday for a doubleheader split after losing the opener 5-4.
Duran tripled in the third inning and took off against Doug Nikhazy (0-1), a 25-year-old left-hander who was making made his major league debut.
As Nikhazy went from the windup, Duran broke for home, slid headfirst and slapped his right hand on the plate ahead of Bo Naylor’s tag. Umpire Brock Ballou’s safe call was upheld in a video review.
Ellsbury had Boston’s previous straight steal of home against the New York Yankees’ Andy Pettitte on April 26, 2009.
Duran stole home for the third time in his big league career. He also had three hits and two RBIs.
Rafael Devers and rookie Kristian Campbell added two hits apiece for the Red Sox, who stopped a three-game skid. Boston built a 6-0 lead after three against Nikhazy, who walked six over 90 pitches while allowing six runs and five hits.
Walker Buehler (4-1) won a third straight start for the first time since 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing three runs and seven hits in six innings.
Jhonkensy Noel hit a two-run homer for Cleveland, his first since the ninth inning of Game 3 of the 2024 AL Championship Series against the Yankees. Angel Martínez had an RBI single and stole a base.
The Guardians have won six of eight. Kolby Allard pitched the final six innings, giving up one run.
In the first game, Steven Kwan singled home Will Wilson with the go-ahead run in the sixth inning of a 5-4 Cleveland victory.
Key moment
Rob Refsnyder drew a bases-loaded walk off Nikhazy in the second, scoring Rafael Devers to push Boston’s advantage to 4-0. The left-hander threw 36 pitches and allowed six baserunners in the inning.
Key stat
The Guardians were seeking their first doubleheader sweep since Sept. 17, 2022 against Minnesota. They have a 2-16 record in nine twin-bills since the start of the 2023 season.
Up next
Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (1-0, 1.80 ERA) faces Guardians LHP Logan Allen (1-1, 2.11 ERA) in the three-game series finale.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Brian Dulik, The Associated Press
