BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Timely hitting hasn’t been a problem for the Boston Red Sox in their past two games, and they will aim for their third straight victory on Tuesday when they battle the visiting Cleveland Guardians.
Carlos Narvaez came up with the first pinch hit of his major league career on Monday, and it was the key blow in Boston’s 6-4 victory over Cleveland.
Narvaez came off the bench to hit for Nathaniel Lowe with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, and he delivered on an 0-2 pitch from lefty reliever Erik Sabrowski. The two-run single broke a 3-3 tie.
“I just (saw) one pitch to get comfortable and then I got two strikes already so I just got back to my approach, which is going to the opposite field,” Narvaez told WEEI. “I saw four fastballs in that at-bat, so I tried to put the ball in play. … Glad to drive in two runs there.
“That’s my bread and butter — trying to go to the other field. Sometimes I was not confident earlier in the month trying to pull the ball. … Sometimes I take my chance if it’s 2-0 or 3-1, but as soon as I get two strikes, I just get back to my approach. I know it probably could be better if I do that from the first pitch, but as of now, that’s what’s bringing me back: trying to put the ball in play to the other side.”
Prior to Monday, Narvaez was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as a pinch hitter in his career.
“It’s not an easy thing coming in to pinch-hit,” Narvaez said. “I really admire the guys who do it like (Rob Refsnyder) early in the season, (Romy Gonzalez) early in the season with a lot of pinch hits.”
The Red Sox (77-62) also received a timely hit from Jarren Duran in the fifth inning of their 5-2 triumph over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. Duran hit an inside-the-park home run to break a tie and give Boston a 4-1 advantage.
The highlight for Cleveland (68-68) in the Monday loss was a solo home run by first baseman Kyle Manzardo. It was his third long ball in the past four games and his 24th of the season.
Manzardo, 25, made his major league debut last season, when he hit .234 in 53 games.
“I just think he’s turning into a complete hitter,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “Early in the year he was really selling out to the damage, to the homers. He wasn’t taking as many walks or anything.
“Since early July he’s been taking good at-bats. He’s been taking his walks. He’ll take a single the other way, and if you make a mistake, he still has the power to do (hit a homer). He’s really developing into a complete hitter.”
Manzardo and the Guardians will be facing one of the best pitchers in the game Tuesday, when Boston is scheduled to start left-hander Garrett Crochet (14-5, 2.40 ERA) in the second game of the three-game series.
However, after winning nine consecutive decisions, Crochet is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in his past four outings. In 12 career appearances against the Guardians (one start), Crochet is 1-1 with a 1.17 ERA.
Cleveland right-hander Slade Cecconi (5-6, 4.41 ERA) is scheduled to start on Tuesday in his first career appearance against the Red Sox. He hasn’t won since July 18, going 0-2 with a 5.35 ERA in his past seven starts.
–Field Level Media