CLEVELAND (Interstat) — Sonny Gray pitched six strong innings and the Boston Red Sox erupted for six runs in the ninth inning to defeat the Cleveland Guardians 9-1 on Saturday evening at Progressive Field.

Gray allowed one run on four hits and struck out seven over 6.0 innings, improving to 6-1 on the season. The right-hander rebounded from his previous start May 24 against Minnesota, in which he gave up three runs over four innings in a loss. Gray’s performance Saturday kept the Guardians in check after they scored in the first inning and allowed the Red Sox offense to eventually break through.

The Guardians took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Travis Bazzana led off with a double to right field. José Ramírez followed with a double to right that deflected off first baseman Willson Contreras, scoring Bazzana. But Gray settled in and retired the next three batters, striking out two. Cleveland managed only three more hits the rest of the game.

Boston tied the game in the fourth inning. Andruw Monasterio led off with a double to left. Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled, and after a forceout put runners at the corners, Caleb Durbin lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Monasterio.

The Red Sox took the lead in the sixth. Marcelo Mayer walked to lead off the inning, then moved to second on a strikeout. After another strikeout, Connor Wong doubled to left field, scoring Mayer. Wong’s double was initially ruled a home run but was overturned on a Guardians challenge. Durbin then singled, putting runners at first and third, but Jarren Duran struck out to end the inning.

Boston extended the lead to 3-1 in the eighth. Kiner-Falefa singled to left, then Wong grounded out, moving Kiner-Falefa to second. Durbin doubled to right, scoring Kiner-Falefa.

The game turned decisively in the ninth inning. Boston sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs on three hits, two walks, a hit batter and two errors. Wilyer Abreu led off with a walk. Contreras was hit by a pitch. Marcelo Mayer reached on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases when Abreu advanced to third on a missed catch error by third baseman José Ramírez. Masataka Yoshida walked, forcing in Abreu. After a strikeout, Wong singled to left, scoring Contreras and Mayer, and Yoshida advanced to third on a throwing error by left fielder Stuart Fairchild. Durbin grounded out, and then Duran hit a three-run homer to right field, his ninth of the season, scoring Yoshida and Wong.

Cleveland starter Parker Messick pitched five innings, allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts. He departed with the game tied 1-1. Guardians reliever Matt Festa took the loss, falling to 1-1. Festa allowed three runs — two earned — on two hits in 1.2 innings, including Durbin’s go-ahead double in the eighth.

The Boston bullpen held Cleveland scoreless over the final three innings. Justin Slaten pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. Danny Coulombe pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout. Tyron Guerrero recorded one out and allowed a hit in the seventh. Codi Heuer worked 1.1 scoreless innings for Cleveland.

Boston outhit Cleveland 11-6. Duran finished 2 for 6 with a home run and three RBI. Wong went 2 for 5 with three RBI. Durbin went 2 for 4 with two RBI. For Cleveland, Bazzana went 2 for 4 with two doubles.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Red Sox, who improved to 24-33. The loss dropped the Guardians to 34-26. Boston lost the series opener Friday 4-3 in extra innings. The two teams conclude the three-game series Sunday.

The game lasted 2 hours, 52 minutes before an announced crowd of 35,740.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cleveland 6, Boston 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Cleveland with a 56.00 percent probability to win. Cleveland had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 10 went under the over/under line of 7.