Cleveland @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 21, 2016 ) Cleveland 1, Boston 9

The Boston Red Sox offense didn’t figure to stay dormant for long and broke out in a big way with a 9-1 triumph on Saturday. The Red Sox will try to keep the big hits coming and earn a series win when they host the Cleveland Indians in the rubber match of the three-game set on Sunday.

Boston averaged 10.4 runs during its last homestand but totaled just 11 runs in three games at Kansas City before returning home and suffering a 4-2 loss in Friday’s series opener. The Red Sox found their form again on Saturday with the help of leadoff hitter Mookie Betts, who belted a solo home run in the fourth inning and put the game away with a grand slam in the seventh. The Indians offense totaled 43 runs in taking four straight from the Cincinnati Reds before coming to Boston and got everything they would need on one swing from Jason Kipnis on Friday before going cold the next day. Cleveland, which visits the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox for four games starting Monday, is trying to prove that it belongs among the elite teams in the AL and had won five in a row before falling on Saturday.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Danny Salazar (4-2, 1.80 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (6-2, 3.51)

Salazar has yet to allow more than three runs in an outing and surrendered a total of two in 20 innings covering his last three turns. The 26-year-old Dominican got plenty of support and held up his end by limiting Cincinnati to one run over 7 1/3 innings in a 13-1 rout on Tuesday to earn a win. Salazar, who has 61 strikeouts in 50 total innings, is 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two career starts against Boston.

Porcello earned the win in each of his first five starts but picked up a loss in two of the last three. The New Jersey native had a string of six quality starts and a stretch of 15 straight lasting at least six innings come to an end when he was reached for five runs – four earned – on eight hits in five innings at Kansas City on Tuesday. Porcello is 9-4 with a 3.36 ERA in 21 career starts against Cleveland.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox CF Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his career-best hitting streak to 26 games with an infield single in the sixth inning and will try to make it 27 on Sunday.

2. Cleveland 3B Juan Uribe broke up Joe Kelly’s no-hit bid with a double to right-center in the seventh inning on Saturday.

3. Boston has homered in a franchise-record 21 straight games.

PREDICTION: Indians 5, Red Sox 4