Masterson (2-2, 5.28 ERA) worked 6 innings and allowed six earned runs on eight hits and three walks. He struck out six and threw a career-high 112 pitches (76 strikes) in his fourth start of the season.

In all, Masterson had gone unbeaten in 24 Fenway appearances (61 innings). He is now 7-1 with a 3.34 ERA on the home patch.

``This is just really disappointing today that it's a loss more than anything,'' Masterson said. ``Whatever the record was coming in and having the one loss now, that was bound to happen some time. But it's unfortunate this way and I'll have to come out next time and continue to try and pitch well. I've just been able to pitch well here and have the team behind me most of the time. Overall, that's kind of what we were doing today.''

Allowing runs in the middle innings has hurt Masterson in his last two starts. In his previous start last week at Tampa Bay, he held the Rays scoreless through four frames but came unglued in the fifth inning of a 6-2 loss. Tampa Bay scored six runs on two walks, a hit batsman and three hits, including consecutive long balls.

The Indians scored their six runs off Masterson in similar fashion. The Sox were ahead 2-1 entering the fifth when command issues led to three Cleveland runs on three hits, a walk and a hit batsman.

In his last two starts, Masterson is 0-2 with a with a 8.76 ERA in 12 innings.

``Overall when I look at it throughout the whole time, I felt like the linescore didn't really tell how well I felt,'' Masterson said. ``I was a couple of breaks away from almost no runs. At times in the last few games I haven't been consistent in the overall sense.''

- rthompson@bostonherald.com