Red Sox have the momentum

It was another Red Sox romp in Game 6, setting up a scenario in which the ALCS will come down to a single game Sunday night. The Red Sox have snatched back the momentum heading into Game 7 because they've gotten back to playing the kind of baseball that has worked for them the past few seasons. Their hitters have been patient and effective, and the starting pitching has been dominant.

ALCS GAME 7

Cleveland at Boston ESPN Radio, 7:35 p.m. ET

Cleveland looks a bit frazzled and has watched its two best pitchers, C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona, get shellacked in back-to-back games. The Indians are left in the hands of Jake Westbrook for what could be the season's ultimate game. All arms figure to be available, though, and don't be surprised if Boston pulls Daisuke Matsuzaka in favor of Josh Beckett at some point because Terry Francona will want the game in the hands of his best pitcher when it's on the line.

It's a good night for dramatics in Boston. Sunday marks the anniversary of perhaps the most famous game ever played at Fenway Park, Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. If this game is half as good as that one, you'll remember it for a long, long time. Perhaps a good omen for Red Sox fans is this note: The past three teams to force Game 7 by winning Game 6 by 10 or more runs all went on to win the series.

INSIDE THE ALCS: LAST TWO GAMES
	CLEVELAND	BOSTON
Runs	3	19
BA	.188	.357
HR	1	2
Bullpen IP	9	3
Pitcher K-BB	13-13	17-2

ALCS GAME 7 PITCHERS

RHP Jake Westbrook, Indians

• Winless in past five road starts, dating back to regular season (0-2, 3.82 ERA) • 1-1 career at Fenway Park, allowed six runs and 15 hits in eight innings in only win there (Aug. 3, 2006) • Key matchups: Kevin Youkilis (7-for-12, four RBIs including postseason), Manny Ramirez (10-for-20, three RBIs), David Ortiz (2-for-11, 0 RBI)

RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox

• Of his 18 "quality starts" (six-plus IP, three or fewer ER) in 2007, only six came at home • Best "pressure performance": four IP, one ER in World Baseball Classic title game win (went 3-0 in World Baseball Classic) • Key inning: sixth. Opponents' BA in innings 1-5 in regular season was .235. It jumped to .315 for sixth inning, then dropped to .234 for innings 7-9.

With Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis on base 13 times the past two games, J.D. Drew hitting and Jacoby Ellsbury in the eight hole, one can argue that the Boston lineup is in its best gear of the year.

Now, in Game 7, Daisuke Matsuzaka goes out with Hideki Okajima, Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon capable of a combined five or six innings because of the way Francona backed off all three pitchers during the season.

He sat Okajima in September. He forced Beckett onto the DL in one stretch and backed off him in September, which is why C.C. Sabathia will win the Cy Young while Francona has the best of Beckett in October. Papelbon was never ridden.

That's the script: Matsuzaka, Okajima, Beckett, Papelbon. With Francona trying to win the Red Sox their second World Series in four years.

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