Cleveland @ Boston preview
Fenway Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 10, 2010 ) Boston 7, Cleveland 8
Back-to-back walk-off victories have revitalized the Boston Red Sox. Now, can they make a run at a playoff berth?
The Red Sox host the Cleveland Indians on Monday night at Fenway Park in the start of a four-game series. Boston trails the New York Yankees by 6 1/2 games in the AL East and the second-place Tampa Bay Rays by 5 1/2 in the wild card standings.
The Red Sox took the final two games of the series from the Detroit Tigers over the weekend - with both coming in dramatic fashion. They nearly won all three.
Boston's rally on Friday night fell short despite David Ortiz's grand slam in the ninth inning. Still, that 6-5 setback proved important to the Red Sox's success in the next two games.
On Friday night, Detroit closer Jose Valverde needed 61 pitches to seal the victory. He was unavailable for the final two games of the series and the Red Sox capitalized with a pair of walk-off wins in the ninth inning.
On Sunday, Boston took the rubber game of the three-game series when Marco Scutaro bunted with two runners on base and no one out in the ninth. Pitcher Robbie Weinhardt fielded the bunt but threw wide of first base, allowing Darnell McDonald to score from second base with the winning run.
The victory saved the Red Sox from certain heartbreak. Boston took a 3-0 lead into the top of the ninth following a brilliant performance from Clay Buchholz, who allowed just four hits in the contest. Buchholz left after the first batters reached to start the ninth, but Jonathan Papelbon surrendered a wall-ball double to Miguel Cabrera followed by a single by Jhonny Peralta to tie the game.
It was Papelbon's fifth blown save of the season and denied Buchholz his 12th win.
John Lackey starts for the Red Sox on Monday. Lackey is 7-2 with a 4.26 ERA in 11 home starts this season. He's 3-1 in his last four starts against Cleveland despite a 6.17 ERA.
Lackey will face a team that was a seller at the trading deadline. Cleveland sent Jhonny Peralta to the Tigers and he responded with a superb series against the Red Sox over the weekend. The Indians also dealt Austin Kearns and Kerry Wood to the Yankees and Jake Westbrook to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Cleveland will start Fausto Carmona in the series opener. Carmona has won three of his last four starts and six of his last nine. He's allowed just one home run in his last 44 innings.
But Carmona hasn't had much success against the Red Sox. He is 1-3 lifetime against Boston with 5.16 ERA. Boston beat Carmona earlier in the year 4-1 as the right-hander walked six in as many innings.