Tim Wakefield Attempts to Sustain Impressive Streak by Starters

The Red Sox' rotation is on a roll. Tim Wakefield will look to keep that going when he makes the 575th appearance of his career as the Sox take on the Cleveland Indians in the second of four straight.

Since Wakefield gave up six runs in his last start, the Boston starting staff has allowed a grand total of two runs in 30 1/3 innings.

Daisuke Matsuzaka was the latest to shine, throwing eight scoreless in a 4-1 win over Cleveland in the series opener.

David Huff, who was struck in the head with a line drive at Yankee Stadium last month, will be making his second start since the scary scene for the Indians.

WHEN AND WHERE

Red Sox (34-25) at Indians (21-35)
Tuesday, June 8, 7:05 p.m.
Progressive Field, Cleveland

HEAD TO HEAD

The Sox are 18-8 in Cleveland since 2002.

PITCHING MATCHUP

RHP Tim Wakefield (1-4, 6.02 ERA) vs. LHP David Huff (2-6, 6.08 ERA)

It's been a bit of a mixed bag of late for Wakefield. Since rejoining the rotation to take the place of the injured Josh Beckett, he has had three wildly different results.

After tossing eight scoreless in his first outing upon the return to the rotation, the knuckleballer gave up nine runs in 3 2/3 innings against Kansas City. He then followed that up with a six-run, six-inning effort against Oakland.

Wakefield is 11-8 with a 4.23 ERA in his career against Cleveland.

The image of Huff taking that line drive off his head in Yankee Stadium was frightening but his recovery has been one of the feel-good stories on a team that has not had many this season.

However, Huff did not have great results in his first game back. He gave up five runs in three innings in a 12-6 loss to Detroit on Thursday.

The 25-year-old Huff has never faced Boston.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• Boston's starting pitchers have combined to go 8-0 with a 0.70 ERA over their last nine road games.
• Catcher Victor Martinez is batting .500 (25-for-50) since May 19.
• Outfielder Josh Reddick had his first career stolen base Monday night.

Indians

• Cleveland is 0-8 on Mondays.
• Outfielder Austin Kearns is 10-for-18 with a home run and four RBIs in his last four games.
• Designated hitter Travis Hafner is 0-for-10 against Wakefield.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury remains on the 15-day disabled list with soreness in his once-fractured ribs. He is being sent to see another specialist in California as his progress has been slow to come by.
• Outfielder Jeremy Hermida has missed the last three games with soreness in his ribs and a forearm contusion after a collision with Adrian Beltre on Friday. He is hoping to return to the lineup Tuesday.
• Beckett will likely not resume any baseball activities until the end of the series, at the earliest. He is on the DL with a lower back strain.
• Right-hander Boof Bonser was activated from the disabled list Monday and added to the Red Sox' bullpen. He took the roster spot of closer Jonathan Papelbon, who was placed on the bereavement list.
• Infielder Jed Lowrie continues to try to work back from mononucleosis.

Indians

• Outfielder Grady Sizemore had season-ending knee surgery June 4.
• Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is on the DL with a broken left forearm.
• Right-hander Anthony Reyes is not expected back until after the All-Star break. He had Tommy John surgery last June.

OUTLOOK

The Sox are 7-2 in a nine-game stretch that includes some beatable teams, taking care of business when they are supposed to. With a weak offense and a struggling starter two weeks removed from taking a line drive off his head, the Indians may allow that trend to continue.