Sparked by a Trevor Crowe error, the Red Sox scored three in the fourth inning and claimed the second game of a four-game series.
Trevor Crowe's drop of a two-out fly ball to deep center by Boston's Victor Martinez set up the Red Sox for a three-run fourth inning in the Indians' 3-2 loss Tuesday night at Progressive Field.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Trevor Crowe makes the catch in his sleep.
When Crowe was wide awake in the fourth inning, however, he dropped the ball.
Crowe's miscue factored heavily in the Indians' 3-2 loss to Boston on Tuesday night at Progressive Field. The Tribe (21-36) has lost the first two of a four-game series against the Red Sox (35-25).
Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield limited the Tribe to one earned run in 7 1/3 innings. With the second out in the seventh, Wakefield became Boston's all-time leader in innings, inching past Roger Clemens.
Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg struck out 14 Pirates in seven innings of his major-league debut. He allowed two runs and earned the victory.
Strasburg, one of the most-hyped prospects in baseball history, is scheduled to make his next start Sunday at Progressive Field. His counterpart will be David Huff.
Huff gave up three unearned runs in six innings against the Red Sox, who did all their damage after Crowe's error with two outs and nobody on in the fourth.
Crowe settled under Victor Martinez's fly to deep center, but the ball bounced out of his glove for a two-base error.
Kevin Youkilis doubled off the scoreboard in left to drive in Martinez and tie the score, 1-1. David Ortiz followed with an RBI single off a diving Luis Valbuena in shallow right.
Ortiz advanced to second on a single by Adrian Beltre and came home on Bill Hall's double to left.
Jensen Lewis relieved Huff to begin the seventh.
The Indians managed two hits -- both by Shin-Soo Choo -- against Wakefield through six. Wakefield retired 15 straight before Choo singled with two outs in the sixth.
Shelley Duncan homered off Wakefield in the seventh to pull the Tribe within 3-2.
The Indians led, 1-0, in the first inning. With one out, Choo tripled to center. Mike Cameron made a dive but the ball hit the ground under his glove and shot past him. Austin Kearns whiffed on a curveball. Jhonny Peralta grounded to third, where Beltre mishandled the ball. The throw was late as Choo scored.
Huff held the Red Sox to one hit through three thanks in part to terrific defense.
Crowe robbed leadoff batter Marco Scutaro with a diving catch. Shortstop Jason Donald started a double play with a backhanded stop of Martinez's hard grounder to end the first.
Beltre lined into a 6-4 double play to end the second. Donald erased Youkilis, who had singled.
Huff faced the minimum through three, walking one and striking out two.