Boston @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2018 ) Boston 7, Cleveland 5

The Boston Red Sox can set a new franchise record for wins in a season when they go for No. 106 against the host Cleveland Indians on Saturday night in a battle of two playoff-bound teams. The Red Sox rested several regulars in the series opener Friday but registered 13 hits en route to a 7-5 victory that tied the record set by the 1912 team which went 105-47 in 152 contests.

Sam Travis launched a solo homer and knocked in three runs for Boston on Friday, while teammate Brock Holt extended his hitting streak to six games (8-for-17, two homers, five RBIs) after recording three hits in the victory. Former Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, who gave up five runs over seven innings in a loss to the Indians on Aug. 20, gets the start in the middle game of the series, while red-hot Mike Clevinger will be handed the ball for Cleveland. The good news out of the loss Friday for the Indians was recently acquired third baseman Josh Donaldson had a pair of hits, including his second homer since coming over from Toronto on Aug. 31, while improving to 5-for-23 this month. Catcher Yan Gomes belted his 15th homer in Friday’s loss for Cleveland and is 9-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak to raise his batting average to .266.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN2, NESN (Boston), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (17-7, 4.30 ERA) vs. Indians RH Mike Clevinger (12-8, 3.06)

Porcello is unbeaten in his last four starts despite allowing 12 runs on 19 hits (five homers) and six walks over 20 2/3 innings combined. The 29-year-old New Jersey native, whose 17 wins are the second-most in his career, is 10-3 with a 3.78 ERA in 17 road contests this year. Melky Cabrera is 17-for-31 with four doubles, a triple and two homers versus Porcello, who is 10-5 with a 3.51 ERA in 23 career starts against the Indians.

Clevinger has strung together six straight quality starts, permitting nine runs combined (seven earned) after registering six scoreless frames against Detroit last Saturday. The 27-year-old Floridian is 5-1 with a 2.14 ERA since the start of August and has not surrendered more than three runs since July 14. Andrew Benintendi is 2-for-3 with a homer against Clevinger, who is 0-1 with an 11.05 ERA in two career games versus Boston.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland 2B/3B Jose Ramirez pushed his career-high total to 103 RBIs on Friday and is two walks short of 100.

2. Boston 2B/3B Eduardo Nunez, who has hit safely in his last six games, is likely to miss the series with a hamstring injury.

3. Indians SS Francisco Lindor boasts 176 hits, six shy of his career high set in 2016.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, Red Sox 3