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BOSTON (AP) -- Sandy Leon hit a three-run homer in the 12th inning -- his third hit of the game -- and Chris Sale pitched seven dominant innings in his Red Sox debut to lead Boston to a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
Leon also doubled in the third inning but got thrown out at the plate after running through third base coach Brian Butterfield's stop sign. It was scoreless into the bottom of the 12th, when Antonio Bastardo (0-1) walked Jackie Bradley Jr. and Pablo Sandoval with one out.
Leon followed with a drive over the Green Monster to end a cold night for the Red Sox, who also beat Pittsburgh in the season opener on Monday.
Joe Kelly (1-0), the sixth Red Sox pitcher, earned the victory with two innings of one-hit relief.
Sale was Boston's big offseason addition when he was acquired from the Chicago White Sox for a package of minor leaguers that included No. 1 prospect Yoan Moncada. On a night when the temperatures dipped into the 30s, Sale allowed three hits, walked one and struck out seven.
Jameson Taillon matched Sale's shutout for seven innings, allowing five hits while walking three and striking out six.
The Red Sox did threaten against him in the third, when Leon doubled down the right field line with two outs. But the Red Sox catcher was easily thrown out at home by right fielder Andrew McCutchen. Newly acquired first baseman Mitch Moreland also hit a ball deep in the fourth, but McCutchen caught it at the short bullpen wall.
Boston loaded the bases with two outs in the 10th, but Pirates closer Tony Watson retired opening day hero Andrew Benintendi on a weak grounder to second to end the inning.
The Red Sox have won seven straight interleague games at Fenway Park.
Indians sweep Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Francisco Lindor hit a go-ahead grand slam off closer Sam Dyson in the ninth inning and the defending AL champion Cleveland Indians completed a season-opening sweep with a 9-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.
Lindor's first career slam and second homer of the game came after he put the Rangers ahead in the fifth when the shortstop misjudged Joey Gallo's speed, couldn't beat the slugger to second base on an attempted two-out force play and allowed two runs to score on a throwing error.
Dyson (0-2) loaded the bases and walked in a run before Lindor's homer down the right field line during a five-run Cleveland ninth. Dyson blew his first save after giving up three runs in a tie game in an 8-5 loss on opening day.
He has allowed eight runs in one inning for the defending AL West champs.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.