Preview: Red Sox at Indians

[October 07, 2016]  David Price looks to continue his success at Progressive Field as the Boston Red Sox try to even the American League Division Series at one contest apiece when they visit the Cleveland Indians for Game 2 on Friday. The veteran left-hander boasts a 5-0 record in seven outings at Cleveland in his career, but has struggled in the postseason with a 2-7 mark and 5.12 ERA in 14 games – eight of them starts.

Price, who has never won a postseason start, hopes to keep the ball in the park after the Indians belted three homers in the third inning and held on for a 5-4 victory in the series opener Thursday. Cleveland’s Jason Kipnis hit one of those blasts and finished with three hits to go along with two RBIs in Game 1 while catcher Roberto Perez came up big with a homer, a single and two runs scored. The Indians need a big performance from scheduled starter Corey Kluber after their top relievers Andrew Miller and Cody Allen each threw 40 pitches Thursday. Kluber was deemed healthy after a quad strain caused him to miss his final start of the regular season, and the former Cy Young winner makes his first playoff appearance.

TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH David Price (17-9, 3.99 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (18-9, 3.14)

Price finished the season strong by going 8-1 with a 3.27 ERA over his last 11 starts and has won 10 of 12 decisions with a 2.24 ERA in 14 lifetime games against the Indians. The 31-year-old Vanderbilt product ended up fourth in the AL in strikeouts with 228 and completed 230 innings — the second most of his career. Carlos Santana is 10-for-31 with four doubles versus Price, who beat Cleveland with six innings of two-run ball April 5.

Kluber was one of the best pitchers in the majors after the All-Star break, registering a 9-1 record with a 2.52 ERA in 14 starts. The 30-year-old Alabama native finished one strikeout behind Price at 227 – his third straight season with at least that many. David Ortiz and Jackie Bradley Jr. have each gone deep twice while Mookie Betts is 4-for-10 with one blast against Kluber, who went 1-1 with a 4.38 ERA in two starts versus the Red Sox this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston 1B Hanley Ramirez had a pair of hits Thursday and is 18-for-49 with seven doubles in 14 career postseason games.

2. The Indians are 83-1 with a lead after eight innings this season and Allen has 91 strikeouts — four on Thursday — in 69 2/3 innings overall in 2016.

3. Red Sox 3B Brock Holt homered and went 3-for-4 in Game 1, improving to 22-for 63 with 10 RBIs in 15 career games against the Indians.

PREDICTION: Indians 4, Red Sox 2

[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.