PREVIEW: Red Sox at Guardians CLEVELAND (Interstat) — The Cleveland Guardians host the Boston Red Sox on Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field, aiming for a second straight win in the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. EDT under clear skies and 71 degrees. Cleveland (34-25) holds a 4-3 victory over Boston (23-33) in Friday’s series opener. The Guardians have won six of their last nine games. The Red Sox have lost four of their last five. Boston’s probable starter was not confirmed as of Saturday morning. Right-hander Sonny Gray (5-1, 3.12 ERA) or left-hander Parker Messick (6-1, 2.88 ERA) could take the mound. Both have been effective, but the Red Sox have not announced a decision. Cleveland will counter with a pitcher to be announced. Players to watch Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello has been sharp recently despite taking losses. In his last two starts, Bello pitched a combined 12 innings, allowing four hits and no earned runs while striking out 10. He worked seven innings of four-hit, five-strikeout ball in Friday’s loss to Cleveland. Guardians reliever Cade Smith has been dominant. The right-hander has won 11 consecutive decisions dating to mid-May, posting a 0.84 ERA over his last 10 appearances. He struck out three in a scoreless inning Friday. Recent trends Boston has struggled offensively, scoring three runs or fewer in six of its last 10 games. The Red Sox are 10-20 on the road. Cleveland has relied on strong pitching, allowing two or fewer runs in seven of its last nine games. The Guardians are 18-12 at home. Series history Friday’s game was the first meeting of the season between the teams. Cleveland took the lead in the sixth inning and held on. Projections Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-4 Cleveland victory. Its ELO system gives the Guardians a 56% win probability. Cleveland is a -1.5 run favorite. The over/under is 7. Up next Boston concludes its series in Cleveland on Sunday before hosting Baltimore for three games starting Tuesday. Cleveland begins a three-game series at the New York Yankees on Tuesday.