BOSTON — The Red Sox have their first win of the second half.
Xander Bogaerts hit a walk-off single in the 11th inning Friday night as the Red Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers 2-1 in the teams’ series opener at Fenway Park. Boston’s victory snapped an eight-game losing streak, including a seven-game slide since the Major League Baseball All-Star break.
It was Boston’s third walk-off win of the season.
GAME IN A WORD
Unfamiliar.
Rick Porcello looked good in his first start ever against his former team. He’s obviously been doomed by several implosions this season, yet he kept the Tigers from stringing together hits. Crazy, right?
And the Red Sox won. In walk-off fashion, no less. All in all, good things from Boston.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Bogaerts singled home Mookie Betts in the 11th inning.
Betts worked an eight-pitch walk to begin the bottom of the 11th. He advanced to second base on Brock Holt’s sacrifice bunt and scored when Bogaerts singled into center field.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello was sharp. The right-hander lasted seven innings for the first time since June 3 — a span of seven starts — and allowed only one run on five hits. He didn’t walk anyone.
Porcello also struck out six while lowering his ERA from 5.79 to 5.51. The only run Porcello allowed came in the third inning, when Ian Kinsler singled home Jose Iglesias, who opened the frame with a double.
Porcello retired 11 of the final 12 hitters he faced. He finished with 105 pitches (71 strikes).
— Junichi Tazawa overcame a two-out triple in the eighth inning.
Kinsler planted a fly ball off the center field wall after Tazawa retired Iglesias and Anthony Gose to begin the inning. Betts aggressively pursued it and soon found himself in too close to the wall. The ball ricocheted past him and back in the direction of the infield, allowing Kinsler to motor around the bases.
Tazawa escaped the jam by striking out former Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who, of course, was traded for Porcello over the offseason. Tazawa fired nine straight fastballs in the at-bat.
— Koji Uehara retired all six batters he faced in the ninth and 10th innings. He recorded two strikeouts and plenty of high-fives.
— Justin Masterson worked a scoreless 11th inning, which ended with a strike ’em out, throw ’em out double play.
Kinsler singled and Cespedes walked with one out. Victor Martinez then worked a full count, prompting the Tigers to put the runners in motion, and Masterson whiffed the man he once was traded for. Catcher Ryan Hanigan threw out Kinsler at third base.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Holt knocked in Boston’s first run in the third inning.
Shane Victorino and Hanigan delivered back-to-back singles with one out. Betts then struck out swinging, but Holt ensured the Red Sox came away with a run by singling into center field.
Bogaerts failed to capitalize on a first-and-third situation with two outs. Still, the Red Sox answered immediately after the Tigers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. And Bogaerts, of course, came through later in the evening.
— Bogaerts collected three hits, including the game-winner, raising his average to .310.
— Mike Napoli smoked a comebacker in the ninth inning with Bogaerts (the potential winning run) on second base. Tigers reliever Al Alburquerque snagged it, largely in self-defense.
— Betts and Pablo Sandoval were the only two hitters in the Red Sox’s starting lineup without a hit. They went a combined 0-for-8 with two strikeouts.
Betts worked a key walk in the 11th inning, though, so even amid his slow start to the second half, the 22-year-old still showed an ability to change the game.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Highway robbery.
[tweet https://twitter.com/_JustinLeger/status/624758020405350400Â align=’center’%5D
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Tigers will battle again Saturday at 4:05 p.m. ET. Steven Wright will face Alfredo Simon in the middle game of the teams’ three-game series.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
