Red Sox bring rested bullpen into series finale vs. Guardians

The Boston Red Sox will enter their Thursday afternoon game against the visiting Cleveland Guardians with a rested bullpen. Tanner Houck made sure of that.

Houck tossed a complete game in Boston's 2-0 triumph on Wednesday. He gave up three hits -- all singles -- and struck out nine without walking a batter. Houck didn't throw more than 13 pitches in any inning.

"It seemed like he was just playing catch with (catcher Connor Wong)," Boston manager Alex Cora said. "There was never a thought of going to the bullpen, to be honest with you. That was his game and whatever happens, happens. We felt like he was going to keep the ball in the ballpark so just roll with him. He was really good."

The victory came after Cleveland won the first two games of the four-game series. The Guardians prevailed 6-0 on Monday and 10-7 in 11 innings on Tuesday.

"Huge win because if we win (Thursday) we save the series," Cora said. "The bullpen needed it. We all needed it."

The Red Sox didn't get a complete-game pitching performance last season. The team's most recent complete game came from Michael Wacha, when he shut out the Los Angeles Angels on June 6, 2022.

Cleveland saw its three-game winning streak end on Wednesday.

"I don't know if he can pitch much better than he did tonight," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said of Houck. "You have to tip your cap. That was an outstanding performance by him. ... Everything was working for him."

Wong remained hot at the plate, collecting two hits, including a solo home run. Wong is batting .444 (8-for-18) with three home runs and seven RBIs in his past six games.

The Red Sox, who also received two hits from Jarren Duran, used Rafael Devers as the designated hitter on Wednesday. Devers left the Tuesday game after the seventh inning with left knee soreness. He struck out three times in four hitless at-bats on Wednesday.

Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (0-1, 3.55 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Guardians on Thursday. Carrasco took the loss in his latest outing, when Cleveland fell 3-2 to the New York Yankees on Saturday. He allowed a run on five hits and walked five in 4 2/3 innings.

Carrasco is 1-4 with an 8.29 ERA in nine career games (seven starts) against the Red Sox. He has allowed 32 runs (31 earned) on 59 hits in 33 2/3 innings vs. Boston.

Boston is expected to counter with an opener, as Brennan Bernardino (0-1, 1.69 ERA) is scheduled to make his first start of the season. The left-hander has faced the Guardians six times, all in relief, going 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA in 5 2/3 innings.

Cora said right-hander Cooper Criswell (0-0, 4.50 ERA) also would pitch at some point on Thursday. Criswell allowed two runs in four innings on Saturday in his first start of the season as the Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-2. He struck out four and walked one.

Criswell has not faced Cleveland in his career.

"We'll decide what we're going to do," Cora said. "Coop is going to have a big part of it, but we don't know how we're going to do it, if he's going to start or if we'll go with an opener and then go with him."