Cleveland @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 25, 2011 ) Boston 14, Cleveland 2

THE STORY: With a starting rotation loaded with question marks, the Boston Red Sox acquired Erik Bedard from Seattle at Sunday’s trade deadline to bolster its staff for the stretch drive. One thing there is no question about is the offense for Boston, which begins a four-game series against the slumping Cleveland Indians on Monday night. The Red Sox lead the majors in batting average and runs scored. Boston, which has been dominant at Fenway Park recently, starts one if its biggest concerns, John Lackey, opposite Cleveland’s steady Josh Tomlin. The Indians have lost 10 of their last 13 games overall.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, NESN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Josh Tomlin (11-5, 4.01 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH John Lackey (9-8, 6.20 ERA).

Tomlin is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA against Boston, including a dominant performance against them in his first start of the season when he limited the Red Sox to three hits and one run over seven innings. A fantastic control pitcher, Tomlin has not allowed more than one walk in a game in 19 straight starts. He has quality starts in seven of his last eight outings.

Lackey extended his personal winning streak to four in a shaky performance against Kansas City last time out. He allowed 11 hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings. All four runs came off homers, including Eric Hosmer's three-run bomb in the first. It was a regression of sorts for the veteran, who had been very good in four of his prior five starts, and left the Red Sox wondering if they could count on him in the final weeks of the season.

ABOUT THE RED SOX (66-40): Boston returns home after a short road trip against the White Sox, where it went 2-1. Boston is 25-10 in its last 35 home games but Cleveland leads the season series, 4-2. Dustin Pedroia led the major leagues with 46 hits in the month of July and batted .408. His two-run single propelled Boston to a 5-3 win Sunday. Carl Crawford has done little since returning from the DL. In 12 games, he has two doubles, no homers and five RBIs.

ABOUT THE INDIANS (53-52): Cleveland also made moves at the deadline, acquiring ace Ubaldo Jimenez from Colorado and sending infielder Orlando Cabrera to San Francisco. Jason Donald will take over for Cabrera. Donald hit .253 with four homers and 24 RBIs for the Indians last year, but has spent this season in the minors. Cleveland has been struggling offensively and will hand over the right field job to another acquisition, Kosuke Fukudome, who batted .273 with three homers with the Cubs. Cleveland is 2-7 in its last nine games in Boston.

FINAL PITCH: The Red Sox had a deal in place for Oakland’s Rich Harden on Saturday, but it fell through late when Boston questioned Harden’s health records. They nabbed Bedard from the Mariners in a three-team deal right at the deadline Sunday.