Price Way Too Right for the Indians, Red Sox Shutout Tribe 7-0; Three Takeaways

After taking games one and two of the four-game set in Boston, Indians fans were smelling blood as they felt like they could possibly get three or (gulp) a four-game sweep over the big bad Red Sox.

As baseball goes though, good teams usually don't stay down for long, as the Sox took care of business on Wednesday, and Thursday in a day game it was all Sox starter David Price, who went eight shutout innings in a Sox 7-0 win.

The Tribe in the last two games of the series were outscored 17-4, but in the end it's nothing more than a split of a four-game set, with the Indians showing all of baseball they can hang with the best the American League has to offer record wise.

Here's three takeaways from the Thursday loss as the Indians get set for a weekend series with the Royals starting Friday night.

1. Price Shuts Down the Tribe

Red Sox hurler David Price clearly isn't the ace of the Boston staff, but he's still very good and shut out the Indians for eight innings, never giving in and allowing much for the Tribe offense.

He allowed just three hits, struck out seven and didn't walk a batter, showing how good he can be if the Indians match up with him in the ALCS in October.

Francisco Lindor, Yandy Diaz, and Edwin Encarnacion all had hits for the Indians, but that was it for the offense, ending a series that really was dead even by the time it was said and done.

Price with the win moves to 14-6 with a 3.50 ERA.

2. Good Start, Poor Finish for Plutko

Indians starter Adam Plutko was in trouble it seemed like all day, but was able to work out of a few jams until finally it caught up with him in the 5th inning.

He allowed two runners in the first, one in the third, and two in the fourth before finally falling apart in the 5th, allowing a double, single and walk before the flood gates opened for the Sox to push six across by the time the inning was over.

The final linescore for Plutko read 4.1 innings, 5 runs, 5 hits, 5 walks and 4 K's. With a dangerous team like the Red Sox, allowing runners on with free passes is a recipe for disaster, and in the 5th his outing all came crumbling down.

Plutko falls to 4-4 with a 5.09 ERA on the season.

3. Even Steven

The Indians and Red Sox decided little in the four-game set in Fenway, with the Tribe winning the first two games, and the Red Sox rebounding for wins on Wednesday and Thursday.

It would be a classic matchup should the two teams find a way to meet in the ALCS, both teams with a couple huge hitters on offense, and the pitching on each side is very good as well.

The clubs still have a three-game set in Cleveland which will decide the season series, but at this point the road to the World Series is going to run through Boston, as the Sox are clearly going to be the #1 seed in the American League.

It would have been nice to take three of four after winning the first two in Beantown, but the Indians will take the split and have served notice they are more than a worthy opponent for the Sox should they meet in the postseason.