Red Sox send Tribe’s Salazar to early shower in finale

Associated Press

BOSTON

Danny Salazar started the day on a nice run. That ended against the big-hitting Boston Red Sox.

David Ortiz went 4 for 4 with a solo home run and a double that sent a fan flying, Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to 27 games and the Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 5-2 on Sunday.

Salazar (4-3) gave up four runs in 41/3 innings. He hadn’t allowed more than three in all eight of his starts this season.

Ortiz doubled twice in leading Boston.

“He’s hot right now,” Salazar said. “When you get behind you have to throw him a strike.”

Later, the right-hander asked: “I was wondering: Why is he retiring?” before saying he figured Ortiz wants to be with his family.

Indians manager Terry Francona knows Ortiz well after managing him with the Red Sox from 2004-11. He’s impressed by the run and Boston’s hot lineup.

“Wish he would have retired last year,” Francona said, joking. “He’s kind of on a different level right now. It looks like he’s playing softball.”

The Red Sox jumped on Salazar for a 2-0 edge in the first on consecutive RBIs singles by Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez.

“Man, a 40-pitch first inning, that’s hard,” Francona said. “Part of it was he wasn’t commanding, part of it is that lineup from top to bottom is about as good as you’re going to see.”

Salazar was hit on a hard on the left calf early by a comebacker from Ramirez and stayed in the game.

Bradley singled in the fifth inning to extend his string. It’s the longest hitting streak in the majors since Colorado’s Nolan Arenado had a 28-gamer in 2014.

Ortiz drove in three runs. His RBI double in the second put the Red Sox ahead 3-2, and when the ball bounced over Boston’s bullpen, a fan came charging from his seat and fell into a fence trying to retrieve the souvenir.

Rick Porcello (7-2) went 52/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits. Craig Kimbrel got three outs for his 12th save.

Xander Bogaerts had three hits for Boston, extending his career-best streak to 16. Jason Kipnis had a two-run single for Cleveland.

Bradley extended his streak with a single to right. Dom DiMaggio owns the longest Red Sox hitting streak of 34 in 1949.