G123: Red Sox 7, Cleveland 6 (10)

Red Sox   - 110 022 000 1 - 7 16  1
Cleveland - 000 102 201 0 - 6  9  0

It was an eventful night in Cleveland-town, everyone:

Chris Sale (6.2-5-5-2-12, 108) set a major league record for the fewest innings needed to strike out 2,000 batters

Rafael Devers went 6-for-6, with four doubles and three RBI (Devers is the first player in the modern era with six hits and four doubles in a game)

The Red Sox blew a 6-1 lead, which included Brandon Workman giving up the tying run in the bottom of the ninth

After Jackie Bradley hit a home run in the top of the tenth, Andrew Cashner, in his new role as reliever, got his first career save

The evening started off strong for the Red Sox. Mookie Betts tripled and Devers doubled and Boston led 1-0. Mookie knocked in a second run in the second inning.

Sale reached his historic milestone when he fanned Oscar Mercado to end the bottom of the third. Sale struck out his 2,000 batters in 85.1 fewer innings than Pedro Martinez, the previous record holder.

Fewest Innings Needed To Reach 2,000 Strikeouts
1. Chris Sale       – 1,626.0
2. Pedro Martinez   – 1,711.1
3. Randy Johnson    – 1,733.1
4. Max Scherzer     – 1,784.0
5. Clayton Kershaw  – 1,837.2
6. Nolan Ryan       – 1,865.2

The Red Sox jumped on Mike Clevinger (4.2-11-4-2-6, 103) for two runs in the fifth. Devers doubled and Martinez advanced him to third with a one-out single. With two down, Mitch Moreland and Marco Hernández each drove in a run with a single. Boston made it 6-1 in the sixth. Bradley was hit by a pitch and Betts walked; both runners scored on another double by Devers.

Sale got the first two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but he walked Carlos Sanatna and Franmil Reyes hit his 29th homer of the season. Sale walked Roberto Perez to begin the seventh. He struck out Jason Kipnis but Greg Allen reached on a fielder's choice and Devers's fielding error put runners on second and third. Tyler Naquin popped to first, but Sale coul dnot get the third out. Francisco Lindor doubled to left and two more runs scored, cutting Boston's lead to 6-5.

Nathan Eovaldi inherited a man-on-second-one-out jam in the eighth and got out of it, fanning Perez and getting Kipnis on a 1-3 grounder. Brandon Workman was greeted by Greg Allen's single to in the bottom of the ninth. Allen stole second before Naquin struck out. Lindor doubled to left and the game was tied 6-6. Lindor apparently stole third, but the Red Sox challenged Lance Barksdale's call and Lindor was ruled out. Oscar Mercado flied to right to end the inning.

JBJ knocked a one-out dong to right and the Red Sox were denied additional runs when Devers was caught in a 4-2-5-2-5-1 rundown. Boston had a new battery in the home tenth: Cashner and Christian Vázquez. Naturally, the leadoff batter got on, as Santana singled to left. Mike freeman tried to bunt Santana to second, but Moreland threw out the lead runner. Cashner then struck out both Jose Ramirez and Roberto Perez.

There have been 110 six-hit games since 1908. No one has ever had four doubles before, though Shawn Green had four home runs (2002), Lance Johnson had three triples (1995), and Jim Bottomley drove in 12 runs (1924). ... Only four players have ever had a six-hit game at a younger age than Devers (22 years, 293 days), including Jimmie Foxx (22 years, 230 days) and Joe Morgan (21 years, 292 days). Devers is the youngest player with a six-hit game in 54 years (since July 8, 1965, when Morgan went 6-for-6).

Devers is the 12th player since 1908 to have four of his six hits go for extra-bases. He is also the fifth Red Sox player with six hits in a game, joining Pete Runnels (August 30, 1960 (G1)), Jimmy Piersall (June 10, 1953 (G1)), Jerry Remy (September 3, 1981), and Nomar Garciaparra (June 21, 2003). Only Piersall did it in a nine-inning game. [All hail Baseball Reference's Play Index!]

Devers is now batting .325 with a .947 OPS. This kid is gonna be amazing when he grows up and learns how to hit.

Chris Sale / Mike Clevinger

Betts, RF
Devers, 3B
Bogaerts, SS
Martinez, DH
Benintendi, LF
Moreland, 1B
Hernández, 2B
León, C
Bradley, CF

Chris Sale begins tonight's game with 1,995 career strikeouts, in 1,623 innings. The current record for fewest innings pitched to reach 2,000 strikeouts is held by Pedro Martinez (1,711.1). It's a safe bet that Sale will fan at least six batters in his next 88 innings of work, thereby setting a new record.

Sale holds the all-time record for K/9, with 11.1, and he leads all MLB pitchers in that category this year with 13.2.

Andrew Cashner, owner of an 8.01 ERA in six starts since arriving from the Orioles on July 13, has been moved to the bullpen. Whoop-dee-doo.

Michael Chavis is currently on the 10-day injured list with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder, sustained while making a diving catch against the Royals back on August 6.

AL Wild Card: MIN/TBR –, OAK 2.0, BOS 8.0. ... (There's really no point in continuing to include this info, is there?)