BOSTON — Jarren Duran had a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Sunday to salvage a series finale.
Rafael Devers had a sacrifice fly for Boston, which completed just its second series against the Brewers at Fenway Park since 2015. The Red Sox improved to 9-0 on Sundays.
William Contreras’ RBI single drove in the Brewers’ run.
Ceddanne Rafaela led off the eighth with a double into the left-field corner against Elvis Peguero (4-2) and scored on Duran’s single.
“You think something big is about to happen with him,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Duran. “He looks so comfortable at the plate.”
Justin Slaten (3-2) struck out the side in the eighth, and Kenley Jansen struck out two in a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances, the 429th of his career.
NL Central-leading Milwaukee had won three of its previous four.
Red Sox starter Tanner Houck gave up one run in six innings, lowering his ERA to 1.90 — Boston's lowest after 11 starts since Clay Buchholz’s 1.62 in 2013.
“Every day you feel like or starters our going to give us a good start,” Cora said. “We had two bad innings in three days and we lost two. That's the way I approach it. Avoid the sweep.”
Benches and bullpens emptied after the final out of the top of the seventh.
Red Sox pitcher Chris Martin ran over to cover first on Christian Yelich’s inning-ending grounder. As he walked toward his own dugout, Milwaukee first base coach Quintin Berry appeared to say something.
Martin turned around before first base umpire Ryan Additon got in front of him while players in both dugouts and the bullpens streamed onto the field. No punches were thrown.
“I think their pitcher showed some emotion and I think our people thought it was directed at them,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I don't know if it really was or it wasn't. I'm not going to speculate what the kid was doing. But if you're staring at somebody and you're saying it, it could be interpreted that you're saying it at them.”
Martin said he was upset the Brewers were trying to bunt often.
“I probably said some things under my breath,” he said. “That was kind of directed at that inning. I'll let you all determine what those things were. Heat of the moment. They bunted twice. You see there they bunted there at the end of the game. I didn't like it. I know it's part of the game. ... I let 'em know. In this league, swing the bat.”
Devers’ sacrifice fly gave Boston a fourth-inning lead after Wilyer Abreu tripled into the center-field triangle. Recalled from Triple-A Nashville before the game, Oliver Dunn led off the Brewers’ fifth with a single, stole second and scored on Contreras’ single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: LF Tyler O’Neill, who exited Saturday’s game with right knee soreness, had the day off. Cora also doesn’t expect to play him Monday.
UP NEXT
Brewers: LHP Robert Gasser (2-0, 2.65 ERA) is slated to face LHP Justin Steele (0-2, 5.68) when they open a four-game series at home against the Cubs on Monday.
Red Sox: RHP Cooper Criswell (2-1, 2.86) is set to start the opener of a three-game series in Baltimore on Monday. LHP Cole Irvin (4-2, 3.15) is slated to go for the AL East-leading Orioles.