Fister fires 1-hitter as Red Sox romp Indians 9-1

CLEVELAND -- Three pitches into his start, Doug Fister had a one-hitter.

Nearly three hours later, nothing changed.

Fister gave up a leadoff homer in the first inning to Francisco Lindor and then nothing else, finishing with a career-best one-hitter, and Eduardo Nunez had five RBI as the Boston Red Sox rolled to a 9-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.

Fister (3-6) was facing Cleveland for the third time in four starts, and the right-hander took advantage of his familiarity with the Indians' lineup. He allowed two walks and hit a batter, but was otherwise in control. Backed by two double plays, he pitched his first complete game since 2014 with Washington.

"When you think the third pitch goes out of the ballpark and from that point on, he throws nine no-hit innings, it's an impressive outing," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "This night was Doug Fister. On a night when we needed a starter to go deep, he gave it to us."

Jackie Bradley Jr. homered in the fifth off Carlos Carrasco (12-6) and Nunez connected for a two-run double in the seventh and a three-run homer in the eighth.

The AL East-leading Red Sox improved to 15-4 since July 31.

The game's start was delayed 73 minutes because of rain.

It was a rough day all around for the Indians.

The club placed All-Star reliever Andrew Miller (knee tendinitis) and starter Danny Salazar (elbow) on the disabled list. Also, second baseman Jason Kipins left after one at-bat with tightness in his right hamstring. He recently spent a month on the DL with a strained hamstring.

Fister, who was claimed on waivers from the Los Angeles Angels in late June, pitched against Cleveland a week ago when the Indians swung by Fenway Park to play a makeup of a game postponed earlier this season.

He took a 1-0 lead to the mound in the first, but gave it back on his third pitch when Lindor hit his 21st homer, a towering shot to right. Fister, though, buckled down and handled the Indians with ease, only allowing one baserunner to reach second and retiring the final 14 batters in a row.

With two outs in the ninth, he retired Yandy Diaz on a deep fly to right that Mookie Betts caught at the wall.

"I was holding my breath," Fister said. "It was kind of a sigh of relief when he caught it. I thought he was going to have to play it off the wall."

Indians manager Terry Francona gave all the credit to Fister.

"He hung the breaking ball to Frankie," Francona said. "And then after that, he kind of put on a clinic. He located his fastball with movement, changed speeds. When he did make a mistake, we didn't hit it, which wasn't often. He kind of went right through us. ... He worked quick. He was efficient. He kind of pitched like you're supposed to."

Leading 3-1, the Red Sox gave Fister some insurance with a three-run seventh, highlighted by Nunez's double. With two on, Nunez hit a shot high off the wall in left to score both Sandy Leon and Bradley, who injured his left thumb reaching around catcher Yan Gomes' tag.

X-rays taken on Bradley were negative. He's flying back to Boston on Wednesday for an MRI and could return in time for the game, but Farrell said it's unlikely he'll play.

INJURED INDIANS

Kipnis will undergo an MRI on Wednesday. Francona said imaging tests on Salazar were negative.

"Everything came back good, which is really good," Francona said. "We'll give him a couple days down and then try to build him back up."

ONE MORE TIME

Fister's complete-game, one-hitter was the first by a Boston pitcher since Jon Lester had one on May 10, 2013 against Toronto.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: RHP Matt Barnes (strained lower back) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. He pitched to two batters in Monday's game and said afterward that his back was bothering him. .. RHP Hector Velazquez was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.

Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin will make a rehab start on Friday, and if all goes well, he'll take Salazar's spot in the rotation. He went on the disabled list in July with a strained left hamstring.

UP NEXT

Indians ace Corey Kluber, who is 8-1 with a 2.09 ERA at home this season, faces Boston's Drew Pomeranz. The left-hander was forced to leave his last start in the fourth inning with back spasms.