Indians fight before being finished off by the Red Sox in extra innings

CLEVELAND — The Indians fought to the finish for the second straight day before being finished off by the Red Sox. Fewer than 24 hours after a home run in the eighth inning off James Karinchak beat them, the Indians were on the losing end against Boston again, 5-3 in 10 innings Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field. Though neither game went in the win column for Cleveland, acting manager DeMarlo Hale was proud of his young team, which has displayed a never-say-die attitude all season. "I don't get frustrated because I know the intentions of these players and how they're battling and trying to succeed," Hale said. "I think it's definitely a learning experience as they move forward in their careers. Hopefully they get better and better at it. "We had our chances. There's some things that we definitely can do better, but to be in that position and keep being in that position, that says something about this team." J.D. Martinez's three-run homer off Nick Wittgren in the 10th propelled the Red Sox. Martinez hit a 2-1 fastball over the wall in right-center for his 24th homer. "I think he just maybe mis-located and centered the ball and got it over the plate," Hale said of Wittgren, who took his third loss in extra innings. "I just think he missed his location there." Despite loading the bases with no outs in their half of the 10th, Cleveland was only able to score once after Bobby Bradley and Austin Hedges struck out and Oscar Mercado shot a single through the hole between first and second. Andres Gimenez grounded out sharply to end the game. After a shaky start, the Indians got another quality outing from right-hander Cal Quantrill. Quantrill allowed a solo home run to the second batter of the game, Kyle Schwarber, and another run in the first on a double from Xander Bogaerts and error on left fielder Daniel Johnson that allowed Martinez to score. But the right-hander locked in from there, retiring 10 of the next 11 hitters and allowing only three hits — one on an infield single — over his final six innings. "He was good again," Hale said. "They came out swinging on him early. I thought he settled in and pitched a heck of a game. He had a number of strikeouts looking, so I know he was locating the ball pretty good." "They clearly had a plan," Quantrill said of the Red Sox. "They had an idea of what I was going to try to do, and we had to adjust quickly. Once we settled in in the second and third, things got a lot easier." One of the adjustments Quantrill made was going more to his slider. He struck out six over seven innings — four looking — with a number of them coming on back-door breaking balls. "I felt like they were on my fastball early, and I felt like they were putting together some really good at-bats, so I just tried to show them a little different look," Quantrill said. Some of Quantrill's best work came in the seventh, when he allowed the first two to reach base and Boston put runners on second and third after a sacrifice bunt. Quantrill retired the next two hitters to keep the game tied at 2. The Indians failed in the same situation in the bottom half of the inning, when Myles Straw popped up his bunt attempt, Amed Rosario struck out, and after Jose Ramirez was intentionally walked to load the bases, Franmil Reyes swung and missed at three straight pitches. Quantrill has been downright dominant in August, posting a 1.42 ERA while striking out 40 batters over 38 innings. After going in order against Boston starter Nathan Eovaldi in the opening inning, Cleveland responded with a two-run second to tie the game. Reyes hit a leadoff homer — his 24th — and after Bradley Zimmer doubled, Bradley, who was activated from the injured list prior to the game, delivered a single in his first at-bat since Aug. 6. Bradley had hits in his first two at-bats. Contact Chris Assenheimer at (440) 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.