Guardians score six times in second inning to beat Boston and avoid sweep

BOSTON — Gabriel Arias hit a two-run homer that sparked a six-run second inning, and the Cleveland Guardians routed the sloppy Boston Red Sox 8-1 Wednesday night to avoid a three-game sweep. Steven Kwan had three hits and scored twice for the Guardians, and José Ramírez drove in two runs. Rookie left-hander Joey Cantillo (4-3) pitched six impressive innings, giving up one run on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Boston threw a pair of wild pitches in the first two innings and committed two costly errors in the second. The Red Sox began the day leading the majors with 103 errors this season. Kwan doubled off opener Brennan Bernardino (4-3) to begin the game, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Ramírez's groundout. Jordan Hicks gave up a leadoff double to Bo Naylor in the second, and Arias launched his 10th homer of the season. Hicks permitted two more hits before Steven Matz allowed an RBI single to Kwan that made it 4-0. Cleveland got another run when Boston catcher Connor Wong was called for interference. Kwan scored on Matz's wild pitch, and left fielder Jarren Duran misplayed Kyle Manzardo's flyball for an error that allowed another run to score. Boston, which won the season series 4-2, scored in the fourth when Nick Sogard's two-out single knocked in Rob Refsnyder. Bernardino got only two outs in his 54th appearance of the season and third start. After tossing a hitless ninth inning Tuesday, he became the first Red Sox pitcher to finish a game and start the team's next game in the same season since Calvin Schiraldi in early September 1987 at Minnesota. Kwan has hit safely in 11 of 13 career games at Fenway Park, batting .355 (22-for-62). Now the Guardians head to Tampa for a four-game series against the Rays, who sit just ahead of Cleveland at 3 1/2 games back of the third and final AL Wild Card spot. "It means that we can control our own destiny," manager Stephen Vogt said pregame of the Guardians' remaining schedule. "We win games, then no one can stop us, right? We just have to win the games. We're sitting here, we have an opportunity still. We're not out of it, and we feel really good about that. We just have to start winning more ballgames." Up next The Guardians open a four-game series at Tampa Bay on Thursday, with LHP Logan Allen (7-10, 4.42 ERA) scheduled to start opposite Rays RHP Ryan Pepiot (10-10, 3.70). Boston is off Thursday before playing Friday night at Arizona.