Boston’s Coco Crisp grounds into a double play with the bases loaded to end the top of the second inning last night. Click here to see a gallery of photos from the game.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

CLEVELAND — Because the Red Sox and the Indians have outstanding starting pitching in the No. 1 and 2 spots of their respective rotations, it was almost a given this ALCS could be decided by the No. 3 and 4 guys from each side.

Advantage: Cleveland.

While Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka struggled, the Indians’ Jake Westbrook was sound as the right-hander helped Cleveland to a 4-2 victory at Jacobs Field last night.

The Indians now lead the best-of-seven series, 2-1.

Matsuzaka’s first postseason in the majors hasn’t gone very swimmingly for the Japanese import. In his first appearance in Game Two of the ALDS against the Angels, Matsuzaka allowed three runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts in only 4 2/3 innings of work.

Last night, he again worked only 4 2/3 innings (101 pitches, 59 strikes), allowing four runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

“When you look at his pitch count (101) — it’s a lot of pitches, a lot of deep counts,” said manager Terry Francona. “He made the one glaring mistake, to [Kenny] Lofton” (a two-run homer in the second inning that gave Cleveland the lead for good) “but the more pitches you throw, especially to dangerous hitters, the better chances you give them.”

On the other side, Westbrook, also making only his second postseason start, worked 6 2/3 innings and allowed only a two-run homer by Jason Varitek and six other hits.

“The strategy — with guys who are sinking the ball — is to get the ball up so you can handle them,” said Francona. “But we couldn’t do it [last night]. Work ahead [in the count], stay out of the middle of the plate, that’s why guys [like Westbrook] are effective.”

It wasn’t only the pitching that proved crucial.

During the first two games of the ALCS, both the Red Sox and Indians produced an explosive offensive barrage. Last night, in Game Three, the clubs proved how things can change so quickly.

After David Ortiz hit into a double play to end the first inning, the Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the second. Jason Varitek then lifted a fly ball to left field. Lofton made the catch and threw a frozen rope to the plate to keep Manny Ramirez standing on third.

Coco Crisp hit into an unassisted 6-3 double play to end the inning and the threat.

In the bottom of the inning, Kenny Lofton — who tried to rattle Matsuzaka by taking his time getting into the batters’ box — crushed a two-run homer to give Cleveland the lead, his seventh career postseason roundtripper. “Whatever I’ve got to do to keep them rattled,” said Lofton, “I’ll keep doing it.”

Westbrook kept the Boston bats at bay until Ortiz led off the fourth inning with a double off the left-field wall. Ramirez followed and hit a chopper to the left side of the infield where Ortiz could not avoid the ball as it hit him in the upper thigh for the out.

Westbrook then retired the next six batters he faced before Kevin Youkilis provided a one-out single in the top of the sixth inning. Boston added another base runner when Ortiz walked, but it didn’t matter much because Ramirez grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning, leaving the Red Sox still scoreless. The twin-killing was Cleveland’s third of the game.

For good measure, the Indians added a pair of runs in the fifth inning off Matsuzaka for a 4-0 advantage that also ended his night.

Westbrook’s clean outing got a little bit soiled on his 90th pitch of the game. Varitek deposited it 407 feet from home plate for a two-run homer, cutting Boston’s deficit to two, 4-2.

But, that was all the offense the Red Sox could muster as Cleveland’s bullpen finished the job.

Indian relievers Jensen Lewis and Rafael Betancourt, along with closer Joe Borowski, kept Boston hitless over the last 2 1/3 innings en route to victory.

jmcdonal@projo.com