Red Sox win 5th straight, 6-3 over Indians

Their minds more at ease after two harrowing days, the Red Sox won again.

Converted closer Alfredo Aceves coasted through five innings, Mike Napoli and Daniel Nava drove in two runs apiece and the Red Sox, bonded by the tragedy in Boston, struck quickly against Justin Masterson and beat the Cleveland Indians 6-3 on Wednesday night for their fifth straight win.

After Boston’s bullpen closed the game with four perfect innings, there was music again in the clubhouse and players gobbled down their postgame meals while watching NBA and MLB games on TVs. Finally, the horrific images aren’t everywhere.

And in the middle of the room, the “617 Boston Strong” jersey hung for all to see.

“A good all-around game,” manager John Farrell said. “A very good game.”

Aceves (1-0), who began the season as a reliever after serving as Boston’s primary closer last year, took a shutout into the sixth before giving up three runs. Andrew Bailey, filling in for injured closer Joel Hanrahan, worked the ninth for his first save.

Napoli had an RBI single in the first when the Red Sox scored three off Masterson (3-1), who has already beaten two Cy Young Award winners this season and came in without allowing a run in 19 straight innings.

Nick Swisher and Jason Giambi homered for the Indians, who dropped their third in a row.

The Red Sox hung the gray “617” jersey in their dugout, just as they did for Tuesday’s emotional series opener — one day after the deadly marathon bombings back home. The jersey, featuring Boston’s area code, has become a symbol of unity for the club, which will be back at Fenway Park on Friday to open a 10-game homestand.

Shane Victorino, Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Carp had three hits apiece as the Red Sox built Aceves a 5-0 lead.

Boston’s bullpen did its job, retiring all 12 Cleveland batters in a row with eight strikeouts. Junichi Tazawa struck out four in two innings, Koji Uehara worked a perfect eighth and Bailey had a 1-2-3 ninth.

“The two innings by Taz were probably the difference in the ballgame,” said Farrell, who couldn’t have asked for more from his relievers. “Good stuff, a lot of strikes.”

The Indians weren’t at full speed. Center fielder Michael Bourn went on the disabled list and second baseman Jason Kipnis missed his fourth game in a row with a sore elbow.

Aceves coasted through four innings before Cleveland loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. Asdrubal Cabrera then hit a liner to deep right that appeared as if it might clear Victorino’s head and the bases, but the former centre fielder who signed as a free agent with Boston in December, ran it down and made the catch.

Cabrera ripped off his helmet and slammed it down with two hands in frustration.

Blanked for five innings, the Indians finally got to Aceves and chased him with three runs in the sixth.

Carlos Santana walked leading off and Swisher followed with his second homer, a shot into the bullpen in centre. Giambi then hit his 430th career homer - his first hit since signing with the Indians - to bring Cleveland to 5-3. Mark Reynolds hit a double and Aceves was lifted for Tazawa, who got three outs to end the inning.

The Red Sox added an unearned run in the eighth to make it 6-3. Ellsbury led off with a single, moved up on a wild pitch and scored from second when reliever Joe Smith fielded Victorino’s bunt and threw wildly to first for an error.

The mood was much looser in Boston’s clubhouse before the game than on Tuesday, when players solemnly went about their business with the tragedy so fresh on their minds.

Several players sat on a large leather sectional couch in the middle of the room and watched news developments from Washington and Boston on a large-screen TV. Others stayed closer to their cubicles and spent the time leading up to pregame batting practice reading and talking.

A close group to begin with, the Red Sox have become even tighter since the bombings. After they arrived Monday from Boston, just hours after the explosions near the marathon finish line, Farrell said 22 players went out to an impromptu dinner together in downtown Cleveland.