Boston’s Bobby Dalbec, right, is congratulated by Franchy Cordero after his two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians in the second inning Wednesday night in Boston. Charles Krupa/Associated Press
BOSTON — Josh Naylor hit a solo home run in the ninth inning and the Cleveland Guardians took advantage of three errors by Boston first baseman Franchy Cordero to beat the Red Sox 7-6 Wednesday night.
Bobby Dalbec hit two homers and drove in five runs for the Red Sox, who have lost 7 of 8 and 15 of 19. Boston (49-50) is below .500 for the first time since June 4.
Naylor connected for his 14th homer with one out off Tanner Houck (5-4).
Enyel De Los Santos (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Emmanuel Clase worked a scoreless ninth for this 21st save.
Cleveland made it 6-all in the eighth when Nolan Jones singled and advanced to second on a wild throw by Cordero. Myles Straw doubled home the tying run.
Two of Cordero’s errors came on throws. He also was involved in a strange play in the fourth when he hit a double that resulted in a pair of Cleveland errors.
Straw’s RBI double capped a three-run second that included an error by Cordero as Cleveland took a 3-0 lead against Nathan Eovaldi. Dalbec homered in the bottom half.
Steven Kwan hit an RBI double in the fourth as the Guardians made it 5-2 in the fourth. Dalbec’s sacrifice fly in the bottom half got Boston within 5-4.
Dalbec hit his 10th homer in the sixth for a 6-5 lead.
Eovaldi went six innings, giving up three earned and nine hits with no walks.
Cleveland starter Cal Quantrill went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and two walks.
NOTES: All-Star 3B Rafael Devers, out since July 23 with right hamstring inflammation, is expected to be activated as soon as he’s eligible, without needing a rehab stint. … LHP Rich Hill, out since July 2 with a left knee sprain, had his scheduled rehab start on Wednesday pushed back. Depending on Boston’s bullpen usage on Wednesday, Hill could either be activated to pitch for the Red Sox on Thursday or make a rehab appearance on Thursday. … RHP Matt Barnes, out since May 31 with right shoulder inflammation, is scheduled to make his first back-to-back rehab appearances on Thursday and Friday. … 2B Trevor Story, out since July 14 with a right hand contusion, is feeling better, Manager Alex Cora said, but is not yet scheduled for a rehab assignment. … CF Kiké Hernández, out since June 8 with a right hip flexor strain, is scheduled to start swinging a bat on Saturday. … RHP Michael Wacha, out since July 5 with right shoulder inflammation, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Thursday.
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