CLEVELAND — David Ortiz bid farewell to Progressive Field with a game-changing home run Monday.
Ortiz hit a go-ahead, two-run drive in a three-run sixth inning, and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Cleveland Indians 3-2 to extend their winning streak to four.
Ortiz’s 27th home run this season, the 530th of his big league career, overcame a 1-0 deficit. Ortiz homered in all three games the Red Sox played in Cleveland in his final season.
“I always love hitting in this park,” he said. “Who doesn’t? It’s a really good hitting ballpark.”
Ortiz’s drive came off Josh Tomlin (11-6), who has given up a major league-leading 29 home runs this season.
Asked whether he was glad Ortiz was retiring, Tomlin said, “I am now, yeah. He’s an unbelievable hitter and he made me pay.”
The game was a makeup of an April 7 postponement caused by snow and cold. Ortiz also homered on April 5 and 6.
Boston is starting an 11-game trip to four cities. Manager John Farrell never considered resting his 40-year-old slugger.
“He doesn’t cease to amaze,” Farrell said. “By no means was there any plan for him not to be in today’s lineup.”
Jackie Bradley Jr. also homered off Tomlin in the sixth.
Drew Pomeranz (1-2) allowed two runs and five hits in 72/3 innings to win for the first time since he was acquired from San Diego on July 14. He had been 0-2 in five starts for the Red Sox.
Selected by Cleveland with the fifth overall pick in the 2011 amateur draft, Pomeranz gave up Rajai Davis’ leadoff homer in the fourth and RBI double in the eighth.
Francisco Lindor doubled against Craig Kimbrel leading off the ninth and Mike Napoli walked. Carlos Santana and pinch-hitter Jason Kipnis struck out, and Abraham Almonte hit a drive to right that hooked foul before he popped out. Kimbrel got his 20th save in 22 chances.
Tomlin lost his third straight outing and for the fifth time in seven decisions after a 9-1 start, allowing three runs and seven hits in 72/3 innings. AL Central-leading Cleveland had won its previous four games.
“This was a good win,” Farrell said. “They pushed us, obviously, but Kimbrel was able to get the last one.
NOTES: Ortiz was given a loud ovation during each at-bat. He lined out in the first, bounced into a double play in the fourth and singled in the eighth. Ortiz took off on a 3-1 count to Mookie Betts and would have had a clean steal of second, but the pitch was ball four. Before the game, Cleveland presented a check for $10,000 in Ortiz’s name to a local recreation center. … RHP Steven Wright (strained right shoulder) was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
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