Cleveland @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 18, 2013 ) Boston 6, Cleveland 3

The Boston Red Sox enjoyed their greatest success in almost a century with Terry Francona guiding the team from the dugout. Francona will make his return to Fenway Park as the opposing manager on Thursday when his Cleveland Indians visit the Red Sox for the beginning of a four-game series. Just as he did in the beginning of his tenure in Boston, Francona has taken a clubhouse full of talented parts and sparked it to a strong start.

“I’m sure I’ll have a lot of emotions,” Francona told reporters of his impending return to Boston. “This game is tough enough to play and I don’t want our guys having extra baggage during that series. I need to be very cognizant of that, that whatever feelings I’m having, I’ll deal with them.” Francona already managed against his former team last month, when the Red Sox came to Cleveland and swept a three-game set by a combined 19-8. The Indians have gotten much better since and have posted an 18-6 mark over the last 24 games. Boston has slowed from its first-month pace but just completed a 6-3 road trip.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), New England Sports Network (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Zach McAllister (3-3, 2.65 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Ryan Dempster (2-4, 4.27)

McAllister has given Cleveland a reliable No. 2 starter behind Justin Masterson and is a big reason for the recent surge. The 25-year-old has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last four turns and has yielded three or fewer in each of his eight starts. McAllister’s shortest outing of the season came against Boston on April 18, when he was reached for three runs and six hits in five innings to suffer a loss. He is 1-2 with a 4.05 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox.

Dempster started off strong but has run into a bit of a snag recently, allowing 11 runs and 15 hits in 9 2/3 combined innings over his last two starts. The veteran sinkerballer issued a season-high six walks at Minnesota on Saturday. Dempster spent most of his career in the National League but has faced the Indians five times (four starts) and has posted a 3-0 record with a 2.73 ERA. Former NL counterparts Drew Stubbs (4-for-21) and Mark Reynolds (3-for-14) who now play for Cleveland have struggled against the right-hander.

WALK-OFFS

1. Francona went 744-552 (.574) in eight seasons with the Red Sox, guiding the team to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007 among six 90-win campaigns.

2. Cleveland C Carlos Santana was 7-for-51 in his previous 15 games before breaking out with two hits Wednesday - his first multi-hit game since May 5.

3. Boston RF Shane Victorino (hamstring) has missed the last two games and is day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Indians 5, Red Sox 4