Boston’s Alex Verdugo celebrates after hitting an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Red Sox a 4-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday at Fenway Park in Boston. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

BOSTON — Alex Verdugo hit an RBI single with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday.

“For me, I took it personal and it helped me lock in a little extra,” Verdugo said of his hit, which followed an intentional walk to J.D. Martinez. “I’m just happy that everything worked out for us.”

Verdugo’s two-strike hit over Daniel Johnson’s head in right field spoiled a comeback try by Cleveland, which tied it with three runs in the top of the ninth.

“We’re playing a different brand of baseball, which is great. I don’t mind it,” Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said. “We’re bunting, we’re taking pitches, we keep the line moving, we’re doing everything to maximize the lineup.”

Boston took the lead in the seventh inning when Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer, his 33rd of the season.

Bobby Bradley hit an RBI double in the top of the ninth inning, and Franmil Reyes tied the score with a two-run homer, his 25th of the season.

“The games we’ve played against Boston, in Cleveland and here, they’ve been good baseball games,” Cleveland acting manager DeMarlo Hale said. “It’s been a swing back and forward. This team is going to keep fighting.

“When you have that last at-bat, you always have that chance of walking someone off. We were hoping to get to extra innings, to get that man on second, trying to scratch out and get the lead and being able to possibly go to our closer.”

Adam Ottavino (5-3) got the win. Bryan Shaw (6-7) took the loss.

Boston went into the ninth with what appeared to be a comfortable three-run lead.

Christian Vazquez opened the seventh with a line-drive single to left off right-hander Nick Wittgren and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jack Lopez. After Jonathan Arauz grounded out, right-hander Blake Parker replaced Wittgren and walked designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. Parker got ahead of Devers in the count before Devers sent a 3-2 fastball into the seats above the wall in left-center for a three-run homer.

“I just tried to give my team a chance to win,” Devers said, via an interpreter. “The previous at-bats (two strikeouts, ground out), I was getting pitches that were pretty good pitches that I knew I could hit, so I just tried to execute that moment and drive the ball, and luckily I was able to do that and drive in those runs.”

The Indians rallied in the top of the ninth off Ottavino. Reyes pinch-hit homer with two outs after Ramirez led off the ninth with a single and scored on Bradley’s double.

“(The Indians have) been doing that to a lot of people,” Cora said. “They’ve been playing well and they’ve been coming back. They did it to us last week. Just one pitch. (Ottavino) has kept everyone in the yard the whole season and that happens.”

In the bottom of the ninth, pinch-hitter Travis Shaw led off with an infield single off Shaw. With two outs, Devers walked and Alex Young replaced Shaw. After an intentional walk to J.D. Martinez, Verdugo stroked his RBI single as Boston won its fourth straight.

Both teams squandered chances earlier in the game. In the bottom of the fifth and top of the sixth, the Red Sox and Indians each had runners on second and third but failed to score.

Boston starting pitcher Tanner Houck struck out seven in five innings, allowing three hits and no walks.

NOTES: Red Sox Manager Alex Cora said he talked on Saturday with several of the nine players currently on the COVID-19 injury list, including Xander Bogaerts, Christian Arroyo, Kike Hernandez, Matt Barnes and Hirokazu Sawamura. “They’re all feeling better,” Cora said, “We just have to still go through the protocols.” Cora expects Hernandez, the first of the nine to go on the IL, to be the first reinstated. For now, Hernandez remains in Cleveland.

NOTES

INDIANS INFIELDER Ernie Clement, on the COVID-19 injured list since Aug. 26, was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment, playing Saturday and Sunday for Triple-A Akron. Acting manager DeMarlo Hale said the team would assess Clement’s status after those games. … Indians catcher Roberto Perez, out since Aug. 4 with right shoulder inflammation, caught six innings for Akron on Friday, going 1 for 3 with an RBI, with a scheduled day off on Saturday. Hale said he would like Perez to catch nine innings before he is reinstated. … Cleveland right-handed pitcher  Shane Bieber, out since June 14 with a right subscapular strain, is progressing. He was scheduled to pitch a simulated game on Saturday. Depending on how Bieber feels after that, Hale said the right-hander could progress to a rehab start or there might be another sim game scheduled. … Right-hander Aaron Civale, out since June 22 with a right third finger sprain, is expected to be activated Tuesday to start against Minnesota.

CORA SAID he talked on Saturday with several of the nine players currently on the COVID-19 injury list, including Xander Bogaerts, Christian Arroyo, Kike Hernandez, Matt Barnes and Hirokazu Sawamura. “They’re all feeling better,” Cora said, “We just have to still go through the protocols.” Cora expects Hernandez, the first of the nine to go on the IL, to be the first reinstated. For now, Hernandez remains in Cleveland.