Red Sox vs. Indians: Someone Has to Win : AL: Neither Boston nor Cleveland has history on its side.

The two best teams in the American League meet starting tonight at Jacobs Field to prove which is better, of course, but also to bury a pair of curses.

The curse of the Bambino has become as much a part of Red Sox lore as Ted Williams’ hitting.

Remember 1986, for example? Bill Buckner fails to pick up that slow roller in Game 6 of the World Series against the New York Mets. Red Sox fans remember.

The curse of Rocky Colavito is as much a part of Cleveland history as Bob Feller’s fastball.

Remember 1987, for instance? Sports Illustrated goes out on a limb and picks Cleveland to win the American League pennant, but the Indians lose 101 games. Cleveland fans remember.

Something has to give when the teams take the field tonight. What makes this matchup so compelling also ensures that another chapter will be written in the losing team’s book of failures.

Cleveland, in postseason play for the first time since 1954, won a major league-best 100 games, taking the Central Division title by a record 30 games. Boston won in the East with 86 victories.

But it means nothing if the season ends short of a World Series championship.

The Red Sox last won a World Series in 1918. Two years later, they sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees, and the spell was supposedly cast.

The Indians last won a pennant in ’54. It is said their hex began after they traded Colavito in 1960. Actually, Colavito got them twice. In 1965, Cleveland reacquired Colavito for Tommie Agee, who helped the Mets win the Series in 1969, and Tommy John, who won 286 games.

Today’s players don’t think much of all this folklore and mythology. Boston third baseman Tim Naehring called it “crap . . . an excuse.”

Surely, otherworldly forces have no impact on the 1995 Red Sox and Indians. But then how do you explain Cleveland’s Albert Belle?

Belle became only the 12th player in history to hit 50 home runs, and did it in a strike-shortened, 144-game season.

“It’s been a storybook season,” Belle, who rarely speaks with reporters, said after hitting No. 50 Saturday against Kansas City. “If you’d told me I was going to hit 50 home runs, I probably would have laughed at you.”

Cleveland Manager Mike Hargrove said, “If people don’t vote for Albert for MVP, then they have an agenda of their own.”

Add speedy Kenny Lofton, who had a league-leading 54 steals; veteran Eddie Murray, who hit .323; steady Carlos Baerga, who had a .314 average, and Cleveland’s lineup looks unstoppable.

Bullpen closer Jose Mesa led the majors with 46 saves and the starting rotation features 16-game winners Charles Nagy and Orel Hershiser, who played a key role in the Dodgers’ 1988 World Series upset of Oakland.

Dennis Martinez (12-5) will open for the Indians tonight against Boston’s Roger Clemens (10-5).

Boston counters with first baseman Mo Vaughn, who almost matched Belle’s numbers, despite not having quite the same support of his power-hitting rival.

Vaughn hit 39 homers and tied Belle for the league lead with 126 runs batted in.

Boston’s rotation figures to be formidable, particularly in a five-game series.

Arm trouble slowed Clemens early in the season, but knuckleballer Tim Wakefield emerged as a surprise. Wakefield led the Red Sox with 16 victories against eight losses and a 2.95 earned-run average, second-best in the league. Wakefield, however, was 2-7 with a 5.60 ERA in his last 10 regular-season starts.