BOSTON Lowe quiets Indians for complete-game victory

Derek Lowe didn't allow a ball out of the infield until the fifth inning.
BOSTON (AP) -- Derek Lowe left his pitching troubles behind when he returned home.
Lowe had his second straight strong outing at Fenway Park, pitching a four-hitter in his first complete game of the season, as the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 9-2 Friday night.
The Red Sox took sole possession of first place in the AL East for the first time since last June 26. New York lost to Toronto 6-2 Friday to fall a half-game behind.
Lowe improved to 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA at home. On the road, he's 1-3 with an 11.57 ERA.
"It's just strictly coincidental," Lowe said. "There's no negative feelings going into my next start, knowing it's a road game."
That would be next Wednesday night against New York in Yankee Stadium.
Working with lead
Lowe (4-3) got plenty of support early, six runs in the first inning, after Boston scored just four runs while he was still in his last four games.
"I couldn't imagine anything better," Lowe said. "I felt the whole way I was in command of the game."
That made it difficult for the Indians, who have lost two straight after winning three in a row.
"It's always tough to play a game when you fall behind by that many runs early," Cleveland's Matt Lawton said. "Lowe pitched well. He had his sinker working."
Lowe, 21-8 with a 2.58 ERA last season, got his first win in six starts, dating to a 7-2 victory over Toronto in Boston on April 19.
"Don't bring up last year. Last year is nowhere in the equation," catcher Jason Varitek said. "He had a good outing last time. He strung together a better outing this time."
Last Saturday, Lowe left after seven innings with a 2-1 lead but Anaheim won 6-2.
On Friday, he had an outstanding sinker and recorded 19 outs on grounders and only one on a fly to the outfield. He struck out five and got the other two outs on a popup and a liner to the infield. He walked three.
"His ball was moving a lot," Cleveland's Brandon Phillips said. "We put the ball in play. We just didn't get our hits."
Closing it out
Boston manager Grady Little visited Lowe at the mound with two outs and two runners on base in the ninth, but Lowe retired the final batter on a forceout at second on his 117th pitch.
"I wanted Derek Lowe to stay in that game as much as he did," Little said. "He had plenty left."
The Red Sox got more hits in the first against Ricardo Rodriguez (2-5) than the Indians did the entire game, five to four.
Nomar Garciaparra went 2-for-3 and has the longest hitting streak in the majors this season, 23 games.
Bill Mueller went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and is hitting .385 but needs 11 more plate appearances to qualify for the AL lead. He started the day tied for the AL lead in doubles and got another in the first, his 19th. Of his 45 hits, 24 have been for extra bases.
Lowe didn't allow a ball out of the infield until Ben Broussard singled to left center with two outs in the fifth.
Johnny Damon began the first with a flyout to right against Rodriguez. Then Boston loaded the bases on singles by Todd Walker and Garciaparra and a walk to Manny Ramirez.
Two runs scored on an error by second baseman Phillips, who let Trot Nixon's grounder go under his glove. Mueller then doubled in one run, Shea Hillenbrand doubled in two and Varitek singled home the sixth run.
Settling down
Rodriguez allowed just one hit in the next three innings before Mueller's RBI single made it 7-0 in the fifth.
Cleveland managed to hit only one ball out of the infield before scoring twice in the sixth.
Lawton was hit by a pitch, Omar Vizquel walked and both moved up on Ellis Burks' groundout. Bradley then singled in two runs before Jody Gerut grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Boston made it 8-2 in the sixth on Garciaparra's RBI single off Terry Mulholland. Damian Jackson hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth.