Jones homers for Guardians to spoil Papi’s return to Fenway
Jul 26, 2022, 7:40 AM | Updated: 8:37 pm
Cleveland Guardians' Nolan Jones (33) is congratulated by manager Terry Francona, right, after his three-run home run off Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Winckowski during the third inning during a baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
BOSTON (AP) — Guardians rookie Nolan Jones politely asked reporters to wait so he could text his father a picture of the souvenir baseball he is bringing home from Fenway Park.
Not the one from his home run — a three-run shot that was just the second homer of Jones’ major league career. The one that David Ortiz autographed for him on the night the Red Sox slugger returned from Cooperstown as a newly minted Hall of Famer.
“David Ortiz is my hero, actually,” Jones said, stopping to show off the ball to his teammate Owen Miller after Cleveland beat Boston 8-3 on Tuesday night.
“Did you get two?” Miller asked.
Minutes after Ortiz took the field in a pregame ceremony and proclaimed himself a good luck charm for his slumping former team, the Red Sox fell behind 5-0 on their way to a sixth loss in seven games. They have lost 14 of their last 18 to fall into last place in the AL East.
Austin Hedges also homered, and Steven Kwan had three hits to help Guardians snap a three-game losing streak. Bryan Shaw made his first start after a record 732 relief appearances, and Kirk McCarty (1-2) earned his first career victory, pitching four scoreless innings and striking out four.
“He went right through the middle of that game and quieted it down,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said. “I think he had some adrenaline because it was coming out hot.”
Xander Bogaerts had three hits for Boston. Josh Winckowski (3-5) allowed five runs on six hits and a walk, striking out two in three innings.
The Guardians scored solo runs in the first two innings before Jones hit a three-run homer to make it 5-0 in the third. Boston scored two in the bottom half to chase Shaw, and had the bases loaded with one out.
But Nick Sandlin got Kevin Plawecki on a shallow popup, and Jones, in right field, threw out Bogaerts trying to tag from third to end the inning. The Guardians lead the majors with 27 outfield assists.
HONORING BIG PAPI
Ortiz was inducted in Cooperstown on Sunday, and both managers in Tuesday’s game took part in the pregame ceremony. Francona led the Boston teams that won the 2004 and ’07 World Series; Red Sox skipper Alex Cora was a player on the ’07 championship team.
Ortiz took the field to chants of “Papi!” and told the crowd: “The good luck charm just arrived.”
Francona said honoring Ortiz and coming away with a win combined to make it a great night.
“These are our guys over here,” he said. “That was a long time ago, and I’m really proud of all that. But this is where I’m at and I just want to make sure our guys know that I couldn’t wait to get back to our dugout.”
STARTING ANEW
Shaw made the first start of his 12-year career and was already campaigning for another.
“I’m trying to start again Sunday,” he said.
Told that would probably put him up against the Rays and former Cleveland Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, he said: “That would be awesome.”
Shaw’s last professional start was in 2010 in Double-A. On Tuesday, he allowed two runs on three hits a hit batter and a walk while striking out two. He left with the Guardians leading 5-1 and runners on first and second with one out in the third.
The previous major league record for appearances before a debut start was David Robertson, who pitched 680 games in relief from 2008-21 before starting for the Rays against Miami.
“I’ll take any records I can get,” Shaw said.
BUMBLING BOSTON
The Red Sox committed their 10th error in eight games.
Yolmer Sanchez was flagged for an errant throw with the bases loaded in the fourth on Josh Naylor’s grounder up the middle. Sanchez tried to flip it to the shortstop for the force at second but threw it away, allowing a second run to score.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: OF Oscar González (strained rib cage muscles) went 0-for-2 with a pair of popups and a walk in a rehab assignment with the Double-A Akron RubberDucks. … LHP Anthony Gose is still feeling discomfort in his strained triceps and will need another two weeks of rest.
Red Sox: Winckowski was hit on the rear end on Owen Miller’s sharp grounder in the third. The ball ricocheted to shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who made the throw to first for the out. After a visit from the trainer, Winckowski remained in the game.
UP NEXT:
Red Sox RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-3) faces Guardians RHP Cal Quantrill (7-5) in the third game of the four-game series.
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