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Published November 20, 2014
The Boston Red Sox will try their best to send the Cleveland Indians packing with a bitter taste in their mouth as both clubs take the field in the finale of their four-game series.
Felix Doubront (3-1) went six innings and gave up just one run on three hits with two walks to lead Boston to its second win in a row over the Indians on Saturday. The Red Sox bullpen was perfect for the final three innings of the game.
Dustin Pedroia went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Cody Ross hit a solo home run, and Mike Aviles drove in a run and scored a run in Boston's 4-1 victory.
"It was a really nice game," Boston manager Bobby Valentine said. "Everyone did their job. I could tell you that Cody Ross' [sixth-inning solo] home run was a little breathing room. That I think was really good."
The Red Sox are still 3-7 in their last 10 games and have a lot of work to do to move their way out of last place in the AL East.
Daniel Bard (2-4) will take the mound today for the Red Sox and hopes to pick up where his teammates left off on Saturday. The right-hander has lost each of his last two starts, the latter of which occurred Tuesday when he gave up six hits, five earned runs, and walked four versus Kansas City. Both of Bard's victories this season have been on the road.
Pedroia has been sensational during the series so far, batting 5-for-8 with two doubles and four RBI while extending his hitting streak to an MLB-best 13 games along the way.
Despite losing back-to-back games to the Red Sox, Cleveland sits at the top of the AL Central standings and has an impressive 10-5 record on the road. Detroit is only two games off the pace.
The Indians will send former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson to the mound today as they try to avoid a three-game losing streak. In his last start, Masterson gave up two runs while allowing six hits and five walks over six innings versus the Chicago White Sox.
Masterson is 3-0 as a visiting pitcher in Fenway Park since being traded to the Indians.
Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis is 5-for-13 at the plate with a home run, RBI, and three runs scored in the first two games of the series. Kipnis was one of just three Indians to get a hit on Saturday.
The Indians roster is predicted to struggle against left-handed pitching due to its make-up. This was highly evident as Cleveland battled to touch Doubront on Saturday.
"That's a chance we're taking," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "We're going to see more righties than lefties, and not every time out are you going to face a lefty that's going to be able to dominate [us]. We've seen that so far this year. But there are going to be times when those guys are going to go out there and are going to neutralize these guys."
Cleveland was 6-4 last season versus the Red Sox.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/indians-red-sox-set-for-finale-at-fenway-park