The Red Sox went 4-2 on their second road trip of the year, sweeping the Pirates in Pittsburgh and avoiding getting swept by the Guardians in Cleveland.

After their first homestand culminated in a blemished 3-7 mark to begin the Fenway season, it was a much-needed palate cleanser.

But the trip ended on a period rather than an exclamation point; the Sox lost Thursday’s series finale, 6-4, taking some of the wind out of their sails before their return to Boston.

Making his first start of the year in place of the injured Brayan Bello, Chase Anderson escaped a jam in the first inning, but couldn’t get through the second. He gave up a solo home run to Will Brennan, then loaded the bases on a pair of walks and hit-by-pitch, setting the stage for José Ramírez. With two outs and nowhere to put Cleveland’s top slugger, Anderson tried in vain to end the frame. Ramírez fouled one pitch into Reese McGuire’s glove, but the catcher was unable to hang out for the out, and on the 10th pitch of the at-bat, he walloped a grand slam.

“A good battle,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters.

“I made a good pitch, and he’s a good hitter,” Anderson told reporters. “You’re hoping Reese can hold onto that ball, but I’ve still got to make a pitch right there. Came back from 3-0, fought back in that count, was one pitch away, and unfortunately I threw a cutter that came back over the plate and he put a good swing on it.”

After a resounding 8-0 victory on Wednesday night in which Wilyer Abreu and Connor Wong each contributed four hits — including a two-homer night for Wong — and Rafael Devers three, it was a frustrating afternoon for the lineup as they tried and failed to overcome the early deficit; they’re 1-6 when opponents score first.

The lineup chipped away and managed to cut Cleveland’s lead to one. Rob Refsnyder’s RBI triple got Boston on the board in the top of the third, and he scored their second run on Abreu’s sacrifice fly. In the top of the sixth, Ceddanne Rafaela grounded out to score David Hamilton, and after striking out in his first three at-bats and going 0 for 5 the night before, Jarren Duran connected for an RBI single, driving in what would ultimately be the team’s last run of the contest.

It was encouraging to see Devers continue to look like himself; he went 3 for 5 and scored a run. Refsnyder continues to be an extra-base machine. Since coming off the injured list last Thursday, he’s 9 for 21 with four doubles, a triple, and a home run.

And while Abreu snapped his hitting and on-base streaks, he’s now driven in at least one run in seven consecutive games, something no Red Sox player under 25 years old had done since Mookie Betts (2016). The hard-hitting outfielder entered the day leading qualified rookies in on-base percentage (.412).

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