Nathaniel Lowe had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly off reliever Erik Miller in the ninth inning, and the Cleveland Guardians maintained their slim first-place lead in the AL Central with a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.
Angel Martínez had three hits for the Guardians, who hold a one-game lead over the White Sox atop the Central and have won six straight. Chicago, which won 14-11 over Kansas City, owns the tiebreaker by winning the season series. Cleveland stranded a season-high for a nine-inning game of 15 baserunners.
The loss was Boston’s eighth in 12 games, spoiling Chad Tracy’s first game as manager after the club named him its 49th in team history.
Adley Rutschman added three hits for Boston, which clinched one of the AL’s wild-card spots Sunday.
Boston pinch hitter Mickey Gasper hit Hunter Gaddis’ first pitch, tying it at 2-2 leading off the eighth.
Gaddis (5-3) got the win and Cade Smith the final three outs for his 40th save.
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