Masterson is masterful as Indians rout Red Sox

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Justin Masterson enjoyed Cleveland’s eight-run eighth inning as much as his first career shutout.

Masterson beat his former team with a two-hitter and Travis Hafner hit a grand slam in the Indians’ 11-0 rout of the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

“It was great to see all those runs; you can never get too many,” Masterson said after he blanked a potent Boston lineup that came in leading the AL in scoring.

Hafner’s 10th career slam — first since May 7, 2007 — turned a tight game into a rout. Red Sox relievers Boof Bonser and Joe Nelson combined to throw 60 pitches to 14 batters, walking five and allowing seven hits in the eighth.

“When you walk that many, you’re asking for trouble,” Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Masterson (2-5) faced the Red Sox for the first time and earned his second straight win after a long losing streak. The right-hander struck out six, walked two and allowed a pair of harmless one-out singles — to Victor Martinez in the third and J.D. Drew in the fifth. It was the first complete-game shutout by an Indians pitcher against Boston since Jack McDowell on April 15, 1996.

“Justin was fantastic,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “He had a good sinker, a very good slider and threw strikes.”

Clay Buchholz (8-4) had a six-start winning streak snapped as Boston lost for the second time in its last 11 road games. The right-hander allowed three hits over seven innings and trailed 3-0 when Bonser took over.

Masterson was 0-11 over 17 starts from Aug. 25 until beating the Chicago White Sox on June 4. In that win, he walked a season-high six over 52/3 innings in a 10-1 victory.

Masterson was sent from Boston to Cleveland with two minor league pitchers for Martinez, an All-Star catcher, just before last year’s trade deadline.