Boston's Dice-K rolls over punchless Cleveland Indians, 4-1

The best of plans, or even the simplest, must be carried out to the letter if they are to work. The Indians had a plan, but Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka shredded it Monday at Progressive Field.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerAn unhappy Austin Kearns sits on the infield dirt between second and third base after making the final out of the Indians' first inning Monday night at Progressive Field. Kearns was tagged out after Boston's Adrian Beltre overran a grounder hit by Russell Branyan, but recovered when Kearns rounded too far past second base.

INDIANS CHATTER
Clubhouse confidential: Jason Donald has received a lot of voice and text messages from his family and friends about the play that cost Detroit's Armando Galarraga a perfect game Wednesday at Comerica Park.
"A lot of them are joking around saying, 'I know you were out, but you were safe in my book,'" said Donald. "It's there on the replay. Everyone saw it.
"My family and friends were more happy with the way I just ran down the line and hustled," said Donald. "I think people can respect that."
First-base umpire Jim Joyce called Donald safe on what should have been the 27th and final out of Galarraga's perfect game. Joyce admitted after the game game that he blew the call.

Gathering of the clan: Boston manager Terry Francona was in the Boston dugout with his father, Tito, before Monday's game.
Tito Francona played with the Indians from 1959 through 1965. Terry played for the Tribe in 1988.

Stat of the day: The Indians went into Monday's game with the highest ERA and the 10th-lowest batting average in the AL.
-- Paul Hoynes CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians' plan against Daisuke Matsuzaka wasn't complicated. They wanted to make him throw a lot of pitches early, get a lead and get him out of the game.

That way, they wouldn't have to face Boston's late-inning relievers while trailing. Even without closer Jonathan Papelbon, placed on the bereavement list before the first pitch, that does not make for a pleasant night's work.

So much for the plan. Matsuzaka threw eight scoreless innings to beat the Indians, 4-1, at Progressive Field. Austin Kearns prevented the Indians from being shut out for the sixth time with a leadoff homer in the ninth off a 98 mph fastball from Daniel Bard.

Other than that it was silence, and not such a golden silence, from the hitters.

"Matsuzaka took our plan of working the count, and getting his pitch count up, and just put it to the side," said manager Manny Acta. "He did it by being aggressive in the strike zone."

The Japanese right-hander, matching his longest start of the season, threw 112 pitches, 70 for strikes. He struck out five, walked two and allowed four hits.

The Red Sox are 30-16 since April 20 and 23-11 since May 3, the hottest team in the big leagues. Fausto Carmona (4-5, 3.49) caught them at the wrong time. So did the Indians, who have lost seven of their last 11 games.

In his previous start, Carmona worked eight innings in a 3-0 loss against Detroit's Armando Galarraga in the perfect game that wasn't. He didn't walk a batter. Monday he tied a season high with six walks.

"I had trouble throwing first-pitch strikes," said Carmona.

Along with the walks, Carmona allowed five hits and four runs in six innings. It looks like an ugly line, but Acta saw something different.

"All I heard when I came here is that Fausto crumbles when he gets guys on base," said Acta. "Tonight it looked like he had a man on second base in every inning, but he kept fighting. He gave us a chance to win."

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first on Marco Scutaro's leadoff double and Kevin Youkilis' sacrifice fly. They made it 2-0 in the third when Josh Reddick reached on Carmona's throwing error and came around to score on a stolen base and ground outs by Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz.

Victor Martinez made it 3-0 against his old club with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Martinez received a warm round of applause from the crowd of 14,758 fans when he came to the plate in the first inning. It was the first time he'd been back to Cleveland since being traded to Boston on July 31.

Martinez hit into a force play in that at-bat, but doubled in the fourth and singled in the sixth before his sacrifice fly in the seventh.

"I really appreciate that," said Martinez, of the ovation. "I didn't leave this city because I wanted to. This city was great for me and my family."

Boston scored its final run in the eighth. Adrian Beltre hit a leadoff double off Hector Ambriz. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Bill Hall's single. Hall was thrown out trying for a double, but it didn't hurt the Red Sox totals in the box score. They finished with five doubles, three by Scutaro, the former Tribe farmhand who scored two runs.

"Except for not being able top get Scutaro out, I thought Fausto gave us a chance to win," said Acta. "We couldn't do anything against Matsuzaka."

Matsuzaka has won 150 games in the big leagues and Japan.

On an offense that has lost Asdrubal Cabrera (broken left forearm) and Grady Sizemore (knee surgery), Kearns has been a consistent force. Over his last 12 games, he's hitting .354 (17-for-48) with three doubles, two homers, six RBI and 12 runs. He's the main reason prospect Matt LaPorta was sent to Class AAA Columbus Monday.

Kearns is too hot to take out of the lineup. Without him, the Indians might slide into the International League.

"I did not anticipate, when we were leaving Goodyear, Ariz., after spring training, on having Austin Kearns hitting in the middle of our lineup," said Acta. "Our plan was that he was going to be our fourth outfielder.

"He's done a tremendous job. He was patient at the beginning of the season. Waited his turn and took advantage of the opportunity. Right now he's in the middle of our lineup and one of the few threats."