Boston @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 3, 2014 ) Boston 3, Cleveland 5

The Boston Red Sox came into Cleveland with a big head of steam but ran into another club intent on working its way out of an early hole. The Red Sox try to avoid a three-game sweep when they visit the Indians for the series finale on Wednesday. Boston built a seven-game winning streak on clutch hits and contributions up and down the lineup, but so far in this series, only Xander Bogaerts is trying to keep alive the hot streak.

The Indians picked up their fifth straight win with Tuesday’s 5-3 triumph and once again got big contributions from Michael Bourn, who snapped a tie in the seventh inning with a two-run double and easily chased down some long drives in center field. The veteran speedster is fully recovered from a series of leg injuries and is 5-for-11 with five runs scored and four RBIs in the last three games - including a walk-off homer in Sunday’s win over the Colorado Rockies and a triple among two hits in Monday’s series opener against the Red Sox. Bogaerts moved to third base with the arrival of Stephen Drew on Monday, but that has not stopped him in the batter's box, from where he has homered in each of the first two games of the series.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Brandon Workman (0-0, 3.24 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (6-3, 3.04)

Workman was suspended six games by Major League Baseball for throwing behind the head of Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria on Friday but appealed and will take his scheduled turn in the rotation. The 25-year-old has been solid in two starts since being called up from the minors but has yet to enter the win column while allowing a total of five runs in 10 1/3 innings. Workman issued three walks in each of his two starts and will look to complete at least six innings for the first time.

Kluber is one of the pitching surprises in the American League this season and is becoming a strikeout machine. The Alabama native recorded at least eight punchouts in each of his last six starts and fanned 12 in a win over Colorado on Friday. Kluber has registered 15 strikeouts in 11 career innings against Boston but is just 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA in those three games - two starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Bourn has recorded at least one hit in 16 of his last 17 games to raise his average to .299.

2. Red Sox DH David Ortiz is 6-for-50 over his last 16 games.

3. Boston rookie RF Alex Hassan struck out in all four of his at-bats on Tuesday in his second major-league start.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 6, Indians 3