Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Shelley Duncan went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored as the Cleveland Indians held off the Boston Red Sox, 6-5, in the opener of a four-game set.
Shin-Soo Choo drove in two runs while Jordan Brown scored twice in the win for the Indians, who have won three in a row. Fausto Carmona (11-8) got the win as he gave up two runs -- one earned -- on eight hits with a walk and five strikeouts over seven innings.
Adrian Beltre hit a solo homer in the seventh and a three-run shot in the eighth and finished with five RBI in the loss for the Red Sox, who had won five of six coming into the game. John Lackey (10-6) was tagged with six runs on nine hits with five walks and seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
There were a pair of injuries in the game as Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis left in the third inning with an injured right thumb and Cleveland catcher Carlos Santana left in the seventh inning after a collision at the plate with Ryan Kalis. Santana was taken off the field after being helped onto a stretcher.
"He tested well with the trainers. They don't feel he has any serious damage," Indians manager Manny Acta said of his young catcher. "He's leaving [Tuesday] for Cleveland to get an MRI."
Boston was trailing by four runs in the eighth, but put men on first and second with one out off of Rafael Perez before Frank Herrmann took the mound. He got Victor Martinez to foul out, but Beltre jumped on a slider and crushed it over the Monster to make it a one-run game.
After Cleveland was retired in order in the ninth, Chris Perez came on the mound to close the game. After getting Daniel Nava to fly out, Marco Scutaro singled, but J.D. Drew then fouled out. Jed Lowrie then worked a full count, but he flied out to left to end the game and give Perez his 13th save of the season.
David Ortiz led off the second with a single off the Green Monster and moved to third when Matt LaPorta misplayed a Victor Martinez hit. Beltre followed with a sharp liner to right that Choo made a nice catch on, but Ortiz was able to tag-up for the run.
Boston had a man on third with one out and Kevin Cash lofted a fly ball to center. Marco Scutaro tried to tag-up, but was nailed at the plate by Duncan to end the inning.
In the fourth, Cleveland took the lead. With one out, LaPorta singled and Brown was awarded a ground-rule double after his hit to right was touched by a fan. Duncan then tagged a ball to left and it nearly went over the wall, but hit off the top and two runs came home. Duncan was later nailed at the plate trying to score on a single to end the inning.
The Indians added a run in the fifth for a 3-1 lead. Trevor Crowe led off with a double and Asdrubal Cabrera followed with a single. Choo then hit into a double play that scored Crowe.
Boston had men on first and third with no outs in the fifth, but Eric Patterson struck out and Scutaro hit into a double play to end the threat.
Cleveland loaded the bases to start the sixth and, after Jason Donald struck out, got one run across on a walk by Crowe.
"I lost the feel in the sixth inning," Lackey said. "I pretty much stunk."
Manny Delcarmen took the mound and retired the only batter he faced when Cabrera fouled out to third. Dustin Richardson then took the hill and promptly gave up a two-run single to Choo that made it a 6-1 game.
Beltre hit a leadoff home run in the seventh to make it a four-run game.
Lackey hadn't lost in his previous three starts...Carmona is 4-1 in his last five starts...These two teams split a four-game series in Cleveland in June...Lackey fell to 6-7 in 15 starts against Cleveland...Carmona improved to 2-3 in seven games against Boston...Before the game, Boston placed outfielder Mike Cameron on the 15-day disabled list with an abdominal injury and recalled Nava from Triple-A Pawtucket.