Jose Ramirez hits 3 homers to power Guardians over Red Sox

CLEVELAND — Jose Ramirez homered in his first three at-bats — and from both sides of the plate — to power the Cleveland Guardians to a 10-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

Ramirez connected for a solo shot in the first inning off Matt Dermody (0-1), belted a two-run shot — his 200th career homer — in the third and added another solo blast in the sixth inning, when the Guardians hit for the cycle, had eight straight hits and scored five times.

Ramirez came up a second time in the sixth bidding for a rare four-homer game but struck out swinging. The four-time All-Star third baseman had another chance in the eighth but grounded to third.

It was Ramirez’s first career three-homer game, and it was the seventh time in his career that he has hit a home run from both sides of the plate, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Ramirez also showed off some of his defensive prowess in the sixth by backhanding Justin Turner‘s hard shot and throwing off balance across the diamond to get Boston’s third baseman while backpedaling in foul territory.

Will Brennan added a homer as the Guardians won the series and handed the Red Sox their fifth loss in six games.

Aaron Civale (2-1) had his second solid outing for Cleveland after spending 46 games on the injured list with an oblique strain.

The right-hander pitched five scoreless innings last week at Minnesota, and kept the Red Sox off the scoreboard until the fifth, when Reese McGuire hit a two-out RBI double.

Triston Casas chased Civale in the sixth with his seventh homer to pull Boston within 3-2.

But Cleveland, whose offense has awakened after a slow start, pounded former teammate Corey Kluber in the sixth. After Ramírez homered, Andres Gimenez hit a two-run double, Myles Straw hit an RBI triple and Brennan singled home a run as the Guardians opened an 8-2 lead.

Kluber, who was recently demoted to the bullpen, was tagged for seven runs and 11 hits in 3⅓ innings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.