(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox shoot for a third straight win this evening when they open a four-game series with the Cleveland Indians at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox took two of three over the weekend from the Detroit Tigers, winning the final two contests in the ninth inning. On Sunday, Boston pulled out the series win, as Darnell McDonald scored on Robbie Weinhardt's throwing error to give the Red Sox a 4-3 win.
Jonathan Papelbon (4-4) got the win but was charged with a blown save after giving up a three-run lead in the top of the ninth.
Clay Buchholz got the start and pitched into the ninth, and despite hurling eight scoreless frames was eventually charged with three hits and a pair of runs with five strikeouts and four walks in eight-plus innings.
"My fastball was pretty good and I had my cutter tonight," said Buchholz. "The changeup was there too so it added up to a good outing for me today. Good game all around by the whole team."
Adrian Beltre, Patterson and Ryan Kalish drove in a run each for the Red Sox, who have won five of their last six.
Tonight, the Red Sox give the ball to righty John Lackey, who is unbeaten in his last three starts, surrendering four runs in 22 1/3 innings of those outings. Lackey returned to his former stomping grounds on Tuesday in Anaheim and beat the Angels, holding them to a two runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 frames. He is 10-5 on the year with a 4.26 ERA.
Lackey is 6-6 in 14 starts against the Indians with a 3.71 ERA.
Cleveland, meanwhile, comes into tonight's tilt following a week that saw it deal off Jhonny Peralta, Austin Kearns, Kerry Wood and Jake Westbrook. The Indians, though, managed to take two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays, including a 5-4 win in Sunday's finale at Rogers Centre.
Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run homer and Jason Donald added a solo shot in the win. Cabrera finished 2-for-5 and scored twice and Carlos Santana knocked in a run for Cleveland, which has split its last six overall.
Jeanmar Gomez (2-0), who was making only his second big league start, worked five effective innings, allowing two runs on five hits. The 22-year-old hurler's starting debut came back on June 18 when he pitched seven scoreless innings to beat Detroit. Chris Perez worked a scoreless ninth inning to record his 12th save of the season.
Cleveland pins its hopes on righty Fausto Carmona, who is 10-8 with a 3.92 ERA. Carmona lost for the first time in four starts on Wednesday against the New York Yankees, as he was hammered for seven runs and 10 hits in just 2 2/3 innings.
Carmona lost to the Red Sox earlier in the year and is 1-3 in six games (four starts) against them with a 5.16 ERA.
Cleveland has split its four games with the Red Sox this season after losing seven of nine to them last season.