BOSTON -- Cleveland manager Terry Francona appears to be watching young right-hander Danny Salazar develop right before his very eyes.

"I think his consistency is probably the thing that sticks out," Francona said after Salazar turned in his seventh straight strong start to lead the Indians to an 8-2 rout of the Boston Red Sox in a battle of last-place teams on Monday night.

"He's always had -- I would say more than glimpses -- but he's always had the stuff he has, but he's starting to understand the league and himself. He gave up a home run tonight but it's not that home run that maybe he shouldn't give up. He's not giving up the three runs he shouldn't give up."

Francona pointed to a shaky start Salazar turned in at Pittsburgh on July 5 -- five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings -- and that got the 25-year-old mad. He has allowed eight earned runs in seven games since, one Monday night on a solo homer by first baseman Travis Shaw.

"Since that day, it's been a lot more steady," the manager said.

Said Salazar, who improved his record to 11-6, 4-2 in those seven start: "I've been working really hard in between outings and I think that's helping me and I think you're seeing the results now."

Asked how confident he is at this time, Salazar said, "Pretty confident. Every time I go out there I feel really strong and I'm ready to compete."

Monday, facing a team that had just scored 45 runs on 60 hits in a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners, Salazar allowed the homer and three other hits in seven innings. His ERA over the seven-game stretch is 1.45 and opponents are hitting just .148 over that span.

Lonnie Chisenhall drove in three runs to help the Indians to their third win in the last four games.

Chisenhall's fly ball to the left-field wall was played into a two-run double by Hanley Ramirez to highlight a five-run fourth inning for the Indians, who snapped a two-game losing streak. After first baseman Carlos Santana homered to snap a personal homerless streak of 62 at-bats in the fifth off starter and loser Matt Barnes (3-3), Chisenhall led off the sixth with a homer off reliever Heath Hembree.

Left fielder Michael Brantley, back as the DH after missing three games with a shoulder problem, had two hits, an RBI and a stolen base for Cleveland. Center fielder Abraham Almonte had a drag bunt for an RBI single in the big inning.

Both Barnes, who made his first major-league start, and Hembree had been recalled by the Red Sox prior to the game.

Barnes allowed six runs in five innings, but interim manager Torey Lovullo said, "I thought Matt threw the ball really, really well. He gave us everything we expected. He was commanding his fastball, everything was crisp and downhill. He was effective and he did his job for us tonight."

Asked about starting, Barnes said, "It was definitely a little different. This was my third start since being moved back to the rotation (in the minors). I think anytime, especially for me, anytime I come back up that first inning you kind of have to get re-acclimated to the setting."

Right-handers Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen worked an inning apiece to finish it off, Allen allowing an RBI single to Shaw with two outs in the ninth.

This was the first meeting of the season between the teams. They end 2015 against each other in Cleveland and then open the 2016 campaign in the same spot.

NOTES: Indians manager Terry Francona will meet his close friend and former pitching coach John Farrell at Massachusetts General Hospital on Tuesday for the first of Farrell's chemotherapy treatments for lymphoma. "Right now I'm supposed to be a friend," Francona said before Monday night's game. "He's one of my best friends." ... Farrell was again in the clubhouse before Monday's game. ... The Red Sox recalled RHPs Matt Barnes and Heath Hembree from Triple-A and optioned RHP Ryan Cook and INF Garin Cecchini. Hembree relieved Barnes in the sixth and was greeted by a Lonnie Chisenhall home run. ... 1B Chris Johnson was out of the Cleveland lineup for a second straight day because of a spider bite on his left hand. He may have to be disabled. ... Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis (right shoulder) could be activated Tuesday or Wednesday. ... LF Hanley Ramirez, who missed seven games with a foot injury, and 3B Pablo Sandoval, who missed two games with a bad elbow, returned to the Boston lineup. ... Cleveland RHP Trevor Bauer will pitch against Boston rookie LHP Eduardo Rodriguez on Tuesday.