Cleveland catcher Bo Naylor, left, celebrates with reliever Emmanuel Clase after Clase struck out Boston’s Triston Casas to end a 5-4 win over the Red Sox on Thursday at Fenway Park. Steven Senne/Associated Press
BOSTON — Carlos Carrasco gave up two runs in 5 2/3 solid innings and Andrés Giménez had two RBI to lead the Cleveland Guardians to a 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday.
Ramón Laureano, Josh Naylor and José Ramírez also drove in runs for Cleveland, which took three of four from Boston and improved to a Central Division-best 13-6.
“You want to win every series. Every team talks about it,” Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt said. “It’s not this new idea, but any time you can go on the road and win a series, especially from a very good team across the way, you feel good about it heading home.”
Carrasco (1-1) threw 56 of his 89 pitches for strikes and allowed two hits while striking out five and walking three. He left after allowing a two-out single to Reese McGuire in the sixth with Cleveland leading 5-1.
“Trying to be too perfect, which led to the first run,” Carrasco said of the first inning when Boston scored a run but left the bases loaded. “After that, I went back and thought the same way I did in the bullpen (for pregame warmups). I just went out there and attacked.”
Emmanuel Clase pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.
After starting the season with seven wins in 10 road games, the Red Sox went 3-7 on their first homestand of the season.
Trailing 5-1, Boston cut into Cleveland’s lead when Jarren Duran hit a two-run triple in the Red Sox’s three-run sixth inning.
Left-hander Brennan Bernardino pitched two scoreless innings as an opener for the Red Sox, who used five pitchers. Cooper Criswell (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing four runs – three earned – in 2 1/3 innings.
Boston made two more errors that led to three unearned runs. The Red Sox have committed an MLB-worse 19 errors.
“It sounds repetitive, but we have to play better defense,” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said. “That’s the bottom line. We don’t make two routine plays and don’t turn a double play, and we lose by one. They’re good defenders. We’re not making plays right now.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers wasn’t in the lineup. He underwent an MRI before the game to check on the knee soreness that has bothered him in recent days. After the game, Cora said Devers is dealing with a bone bruise. “At least we have an idea of what it is,” Cora said. “He should be fine.”
Outfielder Tyler O’Neill was placed on the seven-day injured list, retroactive to April 16. Taking his spot on the active roster was outfielder Rob Refsnyder, who started the season on the injured list (left toe fracture). Refsnyder was used as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and played the final two innings in left field.
On Wednesday night, the Red Sox announced that Garrett Whitlock had been placed on the 15-day injured list. The right-hander has a left oblique strain that caused him to exit Tuesday night’s outing against Cleveland after four innings. Cora called it a “slight strain.”
“The hope is for him to be back as soon as possible. We’ve just got to be smart,” Cora said.
To replace Whitlock on the roster, Boston recalled left-handed reliever Joe Jacques from Triple-A Worcester.
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