CLEVELAND (AP) – Jonathan Van Every hit his first major league home run in the 10th inning, lifting the Boston Red Sox to a 6-5, comeback win over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.

Van Every, who played in the Indians’ minor league system from 2000-07, hit a 1-1 pitch from Jensen Lewis (2-3) to center with two outs. Van Every got his first big league hit, an RBI single, during Boston’s three-run rally in the eighth that was aided by Mark DeRosa’s error.

Hideki Okajima (2-0) worked the ninth for the win. Jonathan Papelbon pitched the 10th for his sixth save in six opportunities.

The Red Sox have won 12 of 13.

Van Every, a left-handed hitter, began the season on the disabled list with a sprained ankle and entered Wednesday with only one plate appearance, a walk. He signed with the Red Sox as a minor league free agent following the 2007 season. Van Every started in right field because J.D. Drew has been bothered by a sore quad.

The loss capped a bad day for the Indians, who placed designated hitter Travis Hafner on the disabled list with a sore right shoulder. Hafner, who had surgery on the shoulder in October, is batting .270 with four homers and eight RBIs.

Cleveland led 5-2 going into the eighth, but a crucial fielding error by third baseman DeRosa helped Boston score three runs and tie the game.

Rafael Betancourt retired Jason Bay to start the inning, but allowed singles to Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek. Jeff Bailey hit what should have been a double-play grounder directly to DeRosa, but DeRosa misplayed the ball and the bases were loaded.

Van Every then singled to right, making it 5-3. Lewis relieved and gave up an RBI fielder’s choice to pinch-hitter Drew.

Jacoby Ellsbury’s single up the middle tied the game.

DeRosa hit a solo homer in the second and Kelly Shoppach, starting at DH in place of Hafner, added a two-run homer in the fourth, helping the Indians build a 5-0 lead.

Fausto Carmona held Boston to two runs in 6 2-3 innings. He retired 12 straight batters between the second and sixth innings. Lowell, extending his hitting streak to 13 games, and Varitek had RBI doubles in the sixth.

Jon Lester gave up five runs in six innings.

First baseman Kevin Youkilis (sore back) and shortstop Julio Lugo (stiff knee) were all out of the starting lineup for Boston.

Youkilis, who leads the majors with a .405 batting average, was hit by a pitch from Anthony Reyes in the first inning Tuesday.

Notes: RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka threw a 47-pitch session before the game and reported no pain. He’s scheduled o throw another bullpen session Saturday. … The Indians hope Hafner will only be on the DL for two to three weeks. … RHP Adam Miller, the Indians’ top pitching prospect, had reconstructive surgery on the middle finger on his right hand Tuesday in Baltimore. He will have additional surgery in three months and is expected to miss six to nine months following the second operation.

AP-ES-04-29-09 2323EDT


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