CLEVELAND – The last time a Red Sox team won 105 games in a season, William Taft was President, the Titanic sank in the Atlantic, and Babe Ruth hadn’t arrived in Boston yet.
The 2018 Red Sox matched the franchise record for wins with a 7-5 victory over the Indians Friday night in Cleveland. It ties the mark set by the 1912 Red Sox, who won the World Series behind American League MVP Tris Speaker and 34-game winner Smoky Joe Wood.
Chris Sale, a 12-game winner in 2018, threw 73 pitches over 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out seven. Sale relied heavily on his off-speed pitches as the velocity on his fastball was down, sitting mostly in the low 90’s.
Sale is scheduled to make his final start of the regular season against Baltimore on Wednesday.
Sam Travis had a big night, knocking his first Major League home run and driving in three. He went 2-for-4.
Tzu-Wei Lin also recorded his first career home run, a solo shot in the ninth.
Rafael Devers homered as part of a 2-for-5 night.
With the win, the Red Sox magic number to clinch the best record in the American League, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, fell to one.