CLEVELAND – For much of the season, Justin Masterson appeared to be destined to return to the bullpen.

Not anymore.

Masterson has pitched well out of the rotation over his last three outings, the crown jewel arriving Wednesday night, as the right-hander offered up what was easily the best start of his career to help shut out the Red Sox, 11-0.

Working the second complete game of his career, Masterson allowed just two hits, and Cleveland’s offense backed him up with an eight-run eighth inning, with the Indians snapping a seven-game losing skid to Boston.

“Justin was fantastic,” said Indians manager Manny Acta. “On any given night in baseball anything can happen. You can beat a ballclub like that. He set the tone for us. He just pumped strikes. He was wonderful from pitch one.

“For a few weeks, (the media) will stop asking me when he’s going back to the bullpen. He saved me with that one.”

Masterson, who recently ended a lengthy losing streak has looked like a quality starter his last three times out. His last two have come against two of the most potent teams in baseball – the Yankees and the Red Sox.

A mechanical adjustment prior to his start at Yankee Stadium might have reversed his fortunes.

“It’s just kind of building off the last couple starts,” Masterson said. “It’s always fun. You get excited about it because you’re feeling good on the mound.”

Masterson’s bread-and-butter pitch, the sinker, worked wonders for him against his old mates. He recorded 17 outs by virtue of ground balls and was never in trouble, preventing Boston from advancing a runner to second base the whole night.

“That’s my best pitch,” said Masterson, who struck out six and walked just one. “Everyone knows it’s coming. The ability to control it and have some movement on it was what helped me tonight.”

Whether it mattered to Masterson that it came against his former team, it was still a significant victory against a club that was willing to trade him last season for Victor Martinez.

“For me, once you get out on the field, it’s just game time,” Masterson said. “Half the time, it’s me versus myself, not the hitter.”

Masterson, who has been hampered by a lack of run support for much of the season, got more than enough this time around.

The Indians already led 3-0 before breaking the game open with a shocking surge in the eighth inning.

Cleveland batted around in the inning off Boston relievers Boof Bonser and Joe Nelson before recording a single out, with a grand slam from Travis Hafner highlighting the uprising.

“We put up some quality at-bats,” Acta said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

It was the Indians’ largest shutout since they defeated the Blue Jays 12-0 in 2008 and the largest against the Red Sox since they won 11-0 in 1974.  It was Boston’s lowest hit output of the season.

Masterson’s complete game was the fifth by a Cleveland pitcher this season after the club recorded just five all of last year.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

CARLISLE TWP. — Rescue squads responded to a rollover accident on Middle Avenue by the railroad tracks in Carlisle Township overnight that left a vehicle heavily damaged, according to first responders.

The one-car accident happened about 12:15 a.m. According to the State Highway Patrol, a report is not complete, and the trooper who handled the crash has gone home, so they will have no information to release for a day or so. An Elyria police spokesman did not return a call seeking comment.

According to initial reports, occupants of the vehicle were fighting in the roadway after the accident. Officers who arrived on the scene reported that at least two people from the vehicle were seen running from the scene.

Not long after, a homeowner on Middle near the tracks reported individuals were hiding in pine trees in her backyard. She said she could hear one screaming “Come help me!”

Police quickly apprehended a black male who said his name was “Bud.” He told officers the man who remained at large was his boyfriend.

Elyria police sent a canine unit to the scene. Officers believed the man who they were seeking lived on Delaware Circle in the nearby Colonial Oaks Mobile Home Park and might have been headed home. An Elyria fire engine was called to the scene to provide lighting.

The Highway Patrol later reported that the vehicle owner was waiting at the Colonial Oaks entrance and claimed his vehicle had been stolen. It was not immediately clear if that was the same man they were looking for or whether either was located.

Officers checked several homes in Colonial Oaks and also reported they were going to search a barn on Middle Avenue at a homeowner’s request.

The Carlisle Township Fire Department was also called to the scene.

Check back at Chroniclet.com for more on this story as it becomes available.

CLEVELAND — Veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield entered Tuesday sporting a 1-4 record and a hefty 6.02 ERA.

No matter. He was facing the Triple-A Indians.

With Wakefield’s knuckler dancing and Cleveland hitters flailing once again, Boston took the second of a four-game series at Progressive Field via a 3-2 decision.

The Indians managed two runs (one earned) on just four hits over 7 1 / 3

innings against Wakefield, who won for just the second time in nine starts (12 appearances).

“Even with guys that have faced him before, it’s difficult,” said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. “I can’t imagine what it’s like for the young guys that have never seen him before.”

It wasn’t pretty.

More photos below.

After allowing an unearned run in the first inning,Wakefield was on cruise con­trol, retiring 15 straight after the error with one out in the first. A solo home run from Shelley Duncan in the seventh accounted for Cleveland’s other run.

Cleveland starter David Huff (2-7, 5.46 ERA) was a hard-luck loser, allowing three unearned runs on eight hits, while striking out six over six innings.

All of Huff’s runs came in a disas­trous fourth inning for the Indians that was jump-started by an unfathomable error on center fielder Trevor Crowe.

With two outs and the Indians in front 1-0, Victor Martinez lifted a fly ball deep to center that Crowe got under but dropped at the wall.

Unable to shake off the misfortune, Huff allowed hits to the next four batters he faced, as Boston scored three times to take control of the game.

“(Crowe) looked like he just covered his eyes with his glove,” Acta said. “But after that, (Huff’s) got to make pitches and not allow four hits in a row. That’s part of the game. You have to put that behind you. He was one pitch away from getting out of the inning.”

Crowe wound up making a diving catch to end the inning, one of two on the night, but the one he flubbed was the one that stuck with him and the Indians, who lost for the 14th time in 18 games at Progressive Field.

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“Bottom line is that it was a routine fly ball and I just dropped it,” Crowe said. “It’s difficult, especially with the way Huff was pitching. That’s really the only time they got to him.

“It’s difficult, very difficult. I feel really poorly for Huff.”

Huff admitted the error rattled him, but agreed with Acta’s assessment that he should have handled it better.

“It happens. It’s part of baseball,” he said. “He made two other catches that were unbelievable. I need to be able to refocus and get the next guy out and I had trouble doing that.”

Cleveland put the tying run on base in both the eighth and ninth innings but, not so shockingly, failed to score.

Pinch hitter Travis Hafner produced a one-out double in the eighth and was lifted for pinch runner Anderson Hernandez, who stole third with two out and stayed there after Shin-Soo Choo walked and Hideki Okajima came on to retire Austin Kearns on a liner to right.

Okajima walked Russell Branyan with one out in the ninth before striking out Duncan and getting Luis Valbuena to ground to second to end the game.

It was a historic night for Wakefield, who surpassed Roger Clemens as Boston’s alltime leader in innings pitched (2,777). Wakefield’s 177 wins since 1995 are the third-most over the span, trailing only Mike Mussina (218) and Andy Pettitte (199).

The Indians fell to 3-11 against the American League East and 1-28 when they are outhit by their opponent.

Read more

• Tribe notes: Vet Grudzielanek released, Hernandez called up from AAA Columbus

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.

CLEVELAND — Mark Grudzielanek’s debut season with the Indians is over before the All-Star break.

The veteran infielder, who owned one of the better batting averages on the team at .273 in 30 games, was designated for assignment Tuesday to clear room for Triple-A Columbus’ infielder Anderson Hernandez.

According to manager Manny Acta, with the 39-year-old Grudzielanek still nursing a hamstring injury and unavailable, the Indi­ans needed to fill his roster spot with a middle infielder. The club needs someone to play shortstop on occasion, as the Indi­ans experiment with Jason Donald at sec­ond base, a position he could play when Asdrubal Cabrera returns from injury.

“It was a tough decision because Mark is a class act, but we needed a roster spot,” said Acta, who managed Hernandez last year in Washington. “We basically needed a guy up the middle that could play good defense and (Hernandez) can handle that.” Acta said the Indians offered to place Grudzielanek on the 60-day disabled list, but he declined.

Hernandez, 27, spent all of last season on the big league level with the Nationals and Mets, batting .251 with three home runs and 37 RBIs in 123 games. The Indians claimed him off waivers from the Mets on March 17, and outrighted him to Triple-A Columbus, where he hit .234 with a homer and 17 RBIs in 47 games.

Grudzielanek appeared to have sup­planted opening-day second baseman Luis Valbuena as the starter, but the Indi­ans see Valbuena, who has struggled at the plate all season — .172 through Monday — as part of their future.

Valbuena and Donald are expected to start up the middle until Cabrera leaves the disabled list.

“Before Mark took this job we had all our cards on the table,” Acta said. “He never complained about anything. He was a pro about his job the whole time he was here.” The Indians also cut ties with veteran reliever Jamey Wright, but Acta said the moves were not made with an eye on the future.

“This is not exactly a trend,” he said. “This is something that presented itself because we needed a guy.”

Draft days

Cleveland’s first-round draft choice, left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz (University of Mississippi), sounds as though he’s looking forward to joining the Indians’ family.

“It’s great to have been picked by the Indians,” said Pomeranz via conference call Tuesday. “I was really anxious on draft day. A good friend of mine (eighth-round selection in 2009, Jordan Henry) is in the organization and he had nothing but good things to say.”

Pomeranz, the SEC Pitcher of the Year, was named one of five finalists for the Golden Spikes award Tuesday, presented annually to the top collegiate player, but he also brings a bit of baggage. On Aug. 23, 2008, Pomeranz was arrested for refusal to take a breath­alcohol test, giving false information to a police officer and possessing fake identification.

“It was a dumb kid thing,” Pomeranz said.

“When you get stopped, it makes you realize it was stupid. I grew up a bit.”

Draft days II

The second phase of the First-Year Play Draft saw the Indians complete their first 10 rounds of picks, which included Lakewood St. Edward catcher Alex Lavisky in the eighth round (240th overall). Lavisky, a Cleveland native, batted .450 with 13 homers and 40 RBIs for the Division I state champs. He has orally committed to attend Georgia Tech.

Cleveland chose LeVon Washington, a center fielder out of Chipola Junior College (Fla.), with its second-round pick (55th overall). He was a first-round pick of Tampa Bay’s last year.

The rest of the top 10 looked like this: (third round, 87th overall) Tony Wolters, SS, Rancho Buena Vista High School (Calif.); (fourth round, 120th overall) Kyle Blair, RHP, University of San Diego; (fifth round, 150th overall) Cole Cook, RHP, Pepperdine University; (sixth round, 180th overall) Nicholas Bartolone, SS, Chabot Junior College (Calif.); (seventh round, 210th overall) Robbie Aviles, RHP, Suffern High School (N.Y.); (ninth round, 270th overall) Jordan Cooper, RHP, Wichita State; (10th round, 300th overall) Tyler Holt, CF, Florida State.

“We’re very happy with how things are going,” Acta said. “We liked Drew from the get-go.”

The final phase of the draft (31st-50th rounds) takes place today.

Minor details

• Double-A Akron’s Lonnie Chisenall has bounced back well since leaving the disabled list, entering Tuesday with a .344 (11-for-32) batting average, two homers and 10 RBIs in his last nine games. Cleveland’s first-round draft choice (29th overall) in 2008 is hitting .280 with two homers and 16 RBIs in 36 games through Monday.
• Class A Lake County outfielder Bo Greenwell entered Tuesday ranked eighth in the Midwest League with a .318 batting average. The sixth-round draft pick in 2007 ranked ninth in the league with 34 RBIs through Monday.

Roundin’ third

• The Indians are 13-37 since April 25.
• ◾Cleveland has converted nine of 15 save opportunities.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com.