After a pair of temper-flaring contests, Josh Beckett shut down the Detroit bats en route to an 8-2 Red Sox win and Beckett's major league-leading 14th victory. Boston now looks for its first four-game series sweep since mid-April when they walloped the Orioles in four games at Fenway Park.
When and Where
1:35 p.m. ET (NESN), August 13, 2009
Fenway Park, Boston, Mass.
Records
Red Sox (65-48, 2nd place in AL East; 1st in AL Wild Card)
Tigers (59-54, 1st in AL Central)
Skinny
Despite their skid in Boston, the Tigers still own a 1 1/2 game lead in the Central as they continue their division battle with the Chicago White Sox. Detroit’s road woes continue as they stand at 23-36 on the season away from the Motor City. In early June, the Sox swept the Tigers in a three-game set in Motown and have outscored them 42-21 on the year.
Starting Lineups
| Tigers |
Red Sox |
| Curtis Granderson, CF | Jacoby Ellsbury, CF |
| Placido Polanco, 2B | Josh Reddick, RF |
| Clete Thomas, LF | Victor Martinez, C |
| Miguel Cabrera, 1B | Jason Bay, LF |
| Carlos Guillen, DH | David Ortiz, DH |
| Magglio Ordonez, RF | Mike Lowell, 3B |
| Ryan Rayburn, 3B | Casey Kotchman, 1B |
| Gerald Laird, C | Nick Green, SS |
| Adam Everett, SS | Chris Woodward, 2B |
Pitching Matchup
Clay Buchholz (1-2, 5.33 ERA) vs. Justin Verlander (12-6, 3.45 ERA)
Buchholz is in search of his second win of the season and his first in nearly a month. The young righty won his first outing of the campaign back on July 17, but has lost two and received a pair of no-decisions since then. Aside from issuing five free passes, Buchholz had one of his better outings of the season in his last start. He allowed two earned on six hits over six innings as he was handed the loss when the Sox fell 5-0 to the Yankees. Buchholz has faced the Tigers just once in his young career, a no-decision in May of 2008 when he allowed five runs on 10 hits in just four innings of work.
The flame-throwing Verlander is eyeing his 13th win of the season as he takes on the Sox for just the third time in his five-year career. The righty is 1-2 with a 5.49 ERA against Boston in three career starts, with his one win coming at Fenway back in May of 2007. After winning four of six starts in July, Verlander is winless in two August starts. He has allowed five earned runs in each of his last two starts and 16 hits in 14 combined innings.
Stat Sheet
Red Sox
Boston is now 38-17 at home this season.
Jason Bay has gone 6-for-10 with four runs scored, six RBIs and three homers while walking three times in this series. Tigers pitching has yet to strike Bay out in 13 plate appearances.
Mike Lowell ripped three more hits, including a homer, on Wednesday and is now 5-for-7 with two long balls and five RBIs in the series.
Casey Kotchman, who got the start at first base, roped his third RBI as a member of the Red Sox on Wednesday.
Dustin Pedroia notched his 33rd double of the season and scored his 84th run of the year.
Josh Beckett is now 8-0 with a 2.58 ERA at home and has an MLB-most 14 wins. The Sox are undefeated in all 11 of his home starts.
The Red Sox bullpen struck out four batters over two shutout innings on Wednesday, after allowing just two runs on three hits and striking out seven over four innings Tuesday night.
Tigers
Carlos Guillen roped a solo homer Wednesday and was Detroit’s lone player with multiple hits.
Marcus Thames smacked his second homer in three games.
Both Thames and Curtis Granderson have struck out four times in the first three games of the series.
The fifth inning has been rough for the Tigers pitching staff as they’ve given up eight combined runs in that frame in the first three games at Fenway.
All-Star third baseman Brandon Inge committed his 13th error of the season Wednesday night.
Black and Blue
Red Sox
Shortstop Jed Lowrie was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Aug. 7 due to numbness in his left forearm.
Rocco Baldelli is on the 15-day DL with a left ankle bruise. The outfielder fouled a ball off his ankle during batting practice late last week.
Catcher George Kottaras (lower-back strain) was placed on the 15-day DL on July 30.
Tim Wakefield is currently sidelined with a lower-back strain. The knuckleballer will be making a rehab start in Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday with Kottaras catching.
Daisuke Matsuzaka is throwing side sessions as he prepares to return from a right shoulder injury.
Tigers
Armando Galarraga missed his scheduled start on Wednesday night due to illness.
Reliever Joel Zumaya is set to undergo season-ending surgery to remove a bone fragment from a stress fracture in his ailing right shoulder.
Rookie starting pitcher Alfredo Figaro has been on the 15-day DL since June 28 with a sprained right wrist.
Pitcher Nate Robertson hasn’t pitched since June 26 due to elbow surgery. Robertson has been rehabbing in Triple-A Toledo.
This Date in Red Sox History
August 13, 1988: Dwight Evans goes 4-for-5 with a triple, two home runs, four runs scored and 7 RBIs as the Red Sox beat Detroit 16-4. The victory is the Sox' 24th consecutive win at home, an American League record. Mike Greenwell adds four hits and a homer while Ellis Burks has three hits.
Overheard
“It’s nice to be back here today and get back into the flow and be back where I wish I was. It’s been kind of a rough ride for me but I’m not the only guy going through stuff like this. It’s good to be back and hopefully soon I’ll be back doing Red Sox games, which I want to do badly.”
— Red Sox color man Jerry Remy to NESN’s Heidi Watney about his return to Fenway on Wednesday
Press Box
Red Sox
The Rem Dog was in the building on Wednesday night.
Youk begins his stiff five-game suspension.
The bullpen has been a handful for Tito.
Wakefield is excited for his PawSox start this weekend.
Tigers
Zach Miner made a spot start for the injured Armando Galarraga.
Why did Youk take the plunk, Porcello?
MLB
The Yankees had yet another walk-off win in the Bronx.
Pedro picked up the win in his season debut for the Phillies.
Outlook
The Sox just needed a little home cooking to get back on track, but they better capture the series finale Thursday afternoon at the Fens. After Thursday's tilt, it’s back on the road for six more games. Buchholz needs not only to win this game for the team, but to win over the confidence of the Fenway crowd. The righty has pitched four of his five starts on the road, away from the friendly confines and support of the encouraging fans at Fenway. With the laid-back atmosphere of day baseball and a series sweep at stake, look for Buchholz to attack the Tigers hitters with everything he’s got. A four-game sweep will be just the momentum they need to head down to Texas and look to widen that wild card lead.
