Clay Buchholz, Red Sox Take on Former Sox Hurler Justin Masterson

The Red Sox have taken the first two games of their four game series in Cleveland behind a pair of quality pitching performances.

As if that wasn’t bad enough for the last-place Indians, they have to face the best Boston has to offer in the final two games, beginning with Clay Buchholz on Wednesday night.

Buchholz, who has won each of his last five starts, will be looking to duplicate the efforts of Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield. The pair combined to allow just one earned run in 15 1/3 innings through the first two games of the series.

Boston’s starters have combined to yield only three earned runs in 37 2/3 innings in their last five outings. Jon Lester, who has won seven straight decisions, starts in Thursday’s finale.

Former Red Sox right-hander Justin Masterson, who was sent to Cleveland in the Victor Martinez trade, will make his first start against his old team.

WHEN AND WHERE

Red Sox (35-25) at Indians (21-36)
Wednesday, June 9, 7:05 p.m.
Progressive Field, Cleveland

HEAD TO HEAD

The Sox are 19-8 in Cleveland since 2002.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Clay Buchholz (8-3, 2.39 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Masterson (1-5, 5.46 ERA)

It is a matchup of former teammates, both 25, who are headed in opposite directions.

If it is not too early to start talking Cy Young Award candidates, then let’s throw Buchholz into the discussion.

Entering Tuesday, Buchholz was second in the American League in ERA and tied for first in wins. He has not allowed a run in 18 straight innings and has a 0.99 ERA during his personal five-game winning streak.

Amid all those positive numbers comes one small negative. In his only start against Cleveland, Buchholz surrendered six runs in three innings.

Masterson is coming off his first win since last August, but it’s been a bit of a grind for the righty. He walked six in his win at Chicago five days ago and has finished six innings just four times in 11 starts.

The 6-6 Masterson does have an impressive 55 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• Designated hitter David Ortiz snapped an 0-for-18 slump with a single in the fourth inning Tuesday.
• The Sox are 31-16 since April 20, the best mark in the majors.
• Marco Scutaro and Dustin Pedroia were a combined 0-for-9 and left four men on base in Tuesday’s win.

Indians

• Shelley Duncan‘s home run Tuesday was his first in the majors since May 23, 2008.
• Cleveland has scored 101 of its 225 runs (44.9 percent) with two outs.
• The Indians are 1-30 when trailing after eight innings.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury remains on the 15-day disabled list with soreness in his once-fractured ribs. He will see another specialist in California on Wednesday morning in order to rule out anything other than normal soreness in his ribs.
• Outfielder Jeremy Hermida has missed the last four games with soreness in his ribs and a forearm contusion after a collision with Adrian Beltre on Friday. He is hoping to return to the lineup Wednesday.
• Beckett will likely not resume any baseball activities until the end of the series, at the earliest. He is on the DL with a lower back strain.
• Right-hander Boof Bonser was activated from the disabled list Monday and added to the Red Sox bullpen. He took the roster spot of closer Jonathan Papelbon, who was placed on the bereavement list.
• Infielder Jed Lowrie continues to try to work back from mononucleosis.

Indians

• Outfielder Grady Sizemore had season-ending knee surgery June 4.
• Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is on the DL with a broken left forearm.
• Right-hander Anthony Reyes is not expected back until after the All-Star break. He had Tommy John surgery last June.

OUTLOOK

With all due respect to Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield, the Indians may have missed their chance to get to the Red Sox’ starters. Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester have simply dominated of late, and Boston’s chance to get out of town with a series sweep is rather realistic.