Josh Tomlin pitched into the seventh inning and Carlos Santana drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double, leading the Cleveland Indians to an 8-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
Tomlin (7-2) made one mistake — a two-run homer by David Ortiz in the fourth — in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and allowed five hits.
Santana’s double off Henry Owens (4-4) highlighted a four-run third inning. Chris Johnson added an RBI single, giving Cleveland a 4-0 lead.
Jerry Sands, who hit a solo homer in the seventh, had an RBI double in the fifth when Cleveland scored three times.
Ortiz, who returned to the lineup after not playing in three of the previous six games, belted his 37th home run of the season and 503rd of his career through a 20 mph wind blowing in from right field.
Ortiz was 1 for 3 before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.
Tomlin has overcome two arm operations in the last three seasons to pitch himself into the Indians’ plans for 2016. He missed most of 2013 after Tommy John surgery and had shoulder surgery in March
The Indians (79-80) will finish over .500 for the third straight season if they win the final two games of the series.
The loss drops the Red Sox (78-82) out of a third-place tie in the AL East and means Boston will finish under .500 for the second straight season.
Owens allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Boston center fielder Mookie Betts recorded his 10th assist of the season when he threw out Francisco Lindor at the plate in the first. Betts walked in the eighth and has reached bases in 35 consecutive games.
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