CLEVELAND _ The reclamation of Drew Pomeranz was on full display, along with the amazing farewell of David Ortiz.
The Indians might have been able to handle one of those in Monday afternoon's makeup game against the Boston Red Sox. But the combination was too much as the Indians dropped a 3-2 decision in the battle of American League playoff contenders at Progressive Field.
The Indians' lead over Detroit in the AL Central stood at 4 { games going into Monday night, when the Tigers hosted the Kansas City Royals.
Pomeranz continued to show he might be the pitcher the Indians thought they had when they drafted him fifth overall in 2010. The 6-foot-6 left-hander won his first start against his former team and notched his first victory as a member of the Red Sox.
Dealt from the San Diego Padres on July 14, Pomeranz limited the Indians to two runs on five hits and struck out six in a career-high 7 2/3 innings. He has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last three starts and in four of his last six for the Red Sox.
His nine combined victories, 147 strikeouts and 135 1/3 innings in 2016 are all career highs. In both leagues this season, he's 9-9 with a 2.99 ERA.
The Indians sent Pomeranz, then a top prospect, to the Colorado Rockies in 2011 in a trade for Ubaldo Jimenez. Pomeranz was selected to his first All-Star Game this season.
Before the game, most of what Indians manager Terry Francona knew about Pomeranz came from Tribe pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who spent 2010 with the Lake County Captains and 2011 with the Kinston Indians.
"Good arm, good stuff," Francona said of Pomeranz. "Like a lot of kids who are long-levered, it took him a little while to figure it out. It seems like he really put it together this year."
That feeling didn't change after the game, even though Rajai Davis victimized Pomeranz for a solo home run to center field in the fourth inning and an RBI double in the eighth.
"He controls his curveball pretty well, he can throw it for strikeout pitches," Davis said. "Then he's got a fastball he's able to locate. That makes it tough."
Ortiz, meanwhile, continued to make his 20th and final season in the majors a home-run show, even at age 40.
The 10-time All-Star smashed his 27th home run, a two-run moon shot to right field in the sixth inning off Josh Tomlin that put the Red Sox up 2-1. One out after Ortiz's bomb, Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a solo shot to right to push the lead to 3-1.
Ortiz improved to 3-for-17 against right-hander Tomlin in his career, all three hits going for home runs. Ortiz batted .458 against the Indians this season with four home runs, three at Progressive Field, and eight RBIs.
Monday's two RBIs pushed Ortiz's career total to 1,733, tying Honus Wagner for 22nd on the all-time list.
"I got him out on fastballs away. I kind of thought he might be looking out there and trying to ambush a heater, so I tried to get a cutter in off the plate," Tomlin said. "I was hoping it would keep boring in on him a little bit, but as soon as I saw where it was heading I kind of knew.
"I hope he hits it foul or hope he kind of just misses it, but he's an unbelievable hitter, a great hitter. They don't miss that many mistakes and he didn't."
Indians infielder Michael Martinez was traded to the Red Sox in July and spent a month there before returning to the Tribe on a waiver claim.
"He's a smart batter and I'm sure he went back and watched video after his first at-bat and he was able to make adjustments," Martinez said. "David Ortiz is an icon in this game. It's a privilege to play against him in one of his last moments."
