 got the win despite allowing two runs on three hits in the eighth, his only inning.Ryan Brasier blew a save opportunity and a 5-2 lead in the ninth. Perez started the rally with a leadoff homer to center, Jake Bauers walked and Allen - who was hitting .091 entering the game - homered to right and tied it at 5-all.Boston wasn't quite done imploding. Travis Lakins (0-1) took over for Brasier and hit Mike Freeman with a pitch and loaded the bases with a pair of walks, before Luplow hit a drive deep to right that bounced off the top of Mookie Betts' glove at the wall.The wild ending spoiled strong starts by Boston's David Price and Cleveland's Zach Plesac, who carried a shutout into the sixth inning of his major league debut.Price allowed only three hits and struck out six in six innings.Plesac went 5 1-3 innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk, striking out two.HIGHER GROUNDThe light rain that fell in the first picked up and the grounds crew replaced the tarp over the infield after the top of the second. The PA system chimed in with ''Gimme Shelter'' by the Rolling Stones as poncho-clad fans scrambled for cover in the concourse. The game was delayed one hour and nine minutes by rain.TRAINER'S ROOMIndians: Optioned LHP Josh Smith to Triple-A Columbus to clear roster space for Plesac. . RHP Danny Salazar (shoulder surgery) threw live batting practice Tuesday in Goodyear, Ariz. . RHP Mike Clevinger (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a simulated game Saturday in Goodyear. . OF Tyler Naquin (left calf strain) continued a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus.Red Sox: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (elbow) is scheduled to throw a simulated game in New York on Thursday or Friday.UP NEXTIndians: RHP Shane Bieber (3-2, 3.11 ERA) gets the start in the series finale, which was moved up to a 6 p.m. start to alleviate some of the congestion with the Bruins hosting the St. Louis Blues in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Bieber has 25 strikeouts in his last two starts.Red Sox: RHP Ryan Weber (1-0, 1.29) picked up his first career victory as a starter Thursday at Toronto, holding the Blue Jays to one run on three hits in six innings.)
Indians seeking to end troubles vs. Red SoxFLMThe Boston Red Sox and visiting Cleveland Indians are heading in starkly different directions as they continue their three-game series at Fenway Park on Tuesday.The Red Sox have averaged 6.5 runs per contest while winning 18 of their last 26 games.Conversely, the Indians have lost seven of their last eight to dip a game under .500 for the first time since they were 2-3 on April 3.J. D. Martinez continued to lather Cleveland by recording his 12th career multi-homer performance in the Red Sox's 12-5 victory on Monday. The 31-year-old is batting .307 with 20 homers, 56 RBIs and 35 runs scored in 64 career contests versus the Indians.Jackie Bradley Jr. ripped two doubles on Monday, giving him seven extra-base hits (four doubles, three homers) in his past eight games after totaling four in his first 38."I've been working on some things. I've been able to just not see the ball but read the ball," Bradley told MassLive.com of his recent success."I can see the ball coming. I can see whether it's a ball or a strike. But to read it, to be able to decipher whether I want to swing at it or if it's a good pitch for me to swing at. I think all of that kind of helps in determining what your selection is going to be like." Rafael Devers is batting .417 (15-for-36) with seven extra-base hits (four homers, three doubles), nine RBIs and nine runs scored during his eight-game hitting streak.The Red Sox will test their mettle against right-hander Zach Plesac, who will make his major league debut on Tuesday.Plesac has posted a 4-1 record with a 1.41 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in nine starts (57 1/3 innings), six with Double-A Akron and three with Triple-A Columbus."It happened in a month and a half. It could have been quicker, it could have been longer," the 24-year-old Plesac said, via Cleveland.com. "I'm just happy I'm here now." Boston left-hander David Price (2-2, 3.24 ERA) will get the nod on Tuesday, three days removed from exiting his last start after making just 15 pitches while dealing with flu-like symptoms.Price overcame a pair of four-run starts to begin the season to allow just nine runs (seven earned) on 23 hits in his last six outings.The 33-year-old owns a sterling 11-2 mark with a 2.06 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 15 career starts versus Cleveland, although Carlos Santana is batting .324 (11-for-34) with four doubles in his career against the hurler.Indians rookie Oscar Mercado, who will get his first look at Price, had two hits and reached base in three of four plate appearances in the series opener.While his offense was appreciated, his defense likely raised eyebrows as his error allowed a run to score in the third inning before Martinez's first homer caromed off Mercado's glove and over the wall in the sixth."He's seeing some things for the first time. Playing right field can be tough," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He almost got picked off early. These are things that I'm confident won't happen with him again, like (pitcher) Jefry (Rodriguez), he's contentious and wants to get better." Francisco Lindor is batting .313 (25-for-80) in his last 20 games, although he is just 2-for-11 in his career against Price.--Field Level Media
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