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Joe Kelly's return lifts Boston Red Sox over Cleveland Indians

By Mike Shalin, The Sports Xchange
Boston Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly. UPI/Kevin Dietsch
Boston Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly. UPI/Kevin Dietsch | License Photo

BOSTON -- Joe Kelly knew he wasn't going to be around to finish a no-hitter with two more innings at Fenway Park on Saturday.

"I saw my pitch count climbing up. I'm not stupid," Kelly said after coming off the disabled list with 6 2/3 no-hit innings before Juan Uribe lined a double to end any drama -- Kelly leaving to a standing ovation as the Boston Red Sox ended the Cleveland Indians' five-game winning streak with a 9-1 victory.

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Kelly, who hadn't pitched in the majors in just over a month because of right shoulder impingement, threw 104 pitches, 12 more than he threw in the last of his three Triple-A rehab starts. There was good defense behind him -- including Jackie Bradley Jr. making a nifty catch of a liner by Marlon Byrd on the pitch before Uribe delivered.

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"He was going to be done after the seventh," said manager John Farrell. "He came back, not from an ankle injury, but a shoulder injury."

Mookie Betts hit two homers, one a grand slam, and also had a double to go with his career-high five RBIs and Bradley extended his hitting streak to 26 games as the Red Sox won for the 10th time in their last 12 home games.

Kelly, who walked three (all in the fifth inning) and struck out seven, improved to 10-0 with a 3.53 ERA over his last 13 starts dating back to last season.

"I just felt super strong out there," Kelly said. "All the work I've been putting in since I went out on the DL in getting the shoulder stronger in the training room, it was good to go out there and not even think about it."

Junichi Tazawa ended the seventh and worked through the eighth before Heath Hembree gave up a solo homer to Carlos Santana with two out in the ninth, the second and final Cleveland hit.

Hanley Ramirez's two-run single highlighted a three-run third inning and Betts added a solo homer in the fourth off starter Trevor Bauer (3-2), who fell to 1-9 with a 7.69 ERA lifetime against the American League East.

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"I threw the ball really well," Bauer said. "They blooped a lot of balls in, they didn't hit them hard -- just one of those days.'

Former New York Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain entered to loud boos with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh. He walked home a run with two out before Betts, hit his second career slam.

Bradley walked three times, twice intentionally to loud boos, but beat out an infield hit his third time up that was backhanded by second baseman Jason Kipnis. The throw pulled Santana slightly off the bag and the call held up under review.

Xander Bogaerts, David Ortiz, Travis Shaw and Ramirez all had two hits for the Red Sox.

The first Betts homer gave Boston a home run in 21 straight games, extending its club record. Both homers landed in the first row of the Green Monster seats in left field. Betts has nine home runs and 33 RBIs for the season.

Bauer pitched around a leadoff double by Ortiz in the second inning before five straight hits followed the first out in the third. Bogaerts, extending his career-best hitting streak to 15 games, singled home Betts, who had doubled and, after another Ortiz hit, a single, loaded the bases, Ramirez dumped a two-run single into short right.

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Kelly got an unusual force at the plate to end the fifth after the three walks, his throw wide but catcher Ryan Hanigan getting his foot down before Santana touched the plate, ending the threat.

"It just seemed like we were trying to wiggle out of stuff all day," said Indians manager Terry Francona.

Asked what Kelly had going for him, Francona started his comment with, "Everything."

Hanigan, hit on the left hand by a Bauer pitch in the sixth inning, caught the seventh but then left with a contusion. X-rays were negative and he is day to day.

NOTES: RHP Noe Ramirez was sent back to Pawtucket to make room for RH Joe Kelly's coming off the disabled list. ... Boston manager John Farrell says he is all for the proposed plan to make intentional walks automatic, while counterpart and close friend Terry Francona said he is against it. ... Francona said RHP Cody Anderson will be summoned as the 26th man, pitch the second game of Monday's double-header against the White Sox in Chicago and then return to Triple-A Columbus. ... Boston LF Brock Holt, placed on the concussion DL Friday but injured May 10, will see a concussion specialist Tuesday in Pittsburgh. "I'm feeling pretty good," he said. "Just frustrated. It's a frustrating thing to happen, especially when we were playing so well as a team. So just got to get right, and that's the main thing." ... Red Sox LHP Brian Johnson has been granted leave from Triple-A Pawtucket to deal with anxiety issues.

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