Don’t doubt the Large Father.
David Ortiz was at his best Saturday night, finishing the game 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. It wasn’t enough for the Boston Red Sox to take home a victory, though, as shaky pitching from both sides resulted in a wild 7-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
GAME IN A WORD
Frustrating.
I would’ve used “ticking time bomb,” but that was three words, and wasn’t totally accurate. Wade Miley arguably has been Boston’s most consistent pitcher since Clay Buchholz was injured, and he looked very good through 4 2/3 innings Saturday, striking out five Tigers while scattering five hits and two runs.
He collapsed in the sixth inning, giving back a lead for the second consecutive inning and allowing three runs on four hits and a wild pitch.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
David Ortiz walked with two outs in the ninth inning against Bruce Rondon.
This was a wild back-and-forth game, and Ortiz had been so good all night that you half expected him to hit another home run to tie the game. It wasn’t to be, though, as Ortiz walked and Pablo Sandoval struck out looking to end the game.
ON THE BUMP
— Miley’s night was a weird one.
As mentioned, the first 4 2/3 for Miley were terrific, but the final four outs came at a price: All five of his runs allowed.
In total, Miley allowed five runs on nine hits, one walk and a wild pitch in six innings of work. He also struck out six Tigers.
His collapse began in the fifth. With Tigers first baseman Jeffrey Marte on first following a one-out single, Miley had right fielder Rajai Davis down to his final strike with two outs before serving up a meatball straight down the pipe. It landed in the bullpen in left-center field, tying the score at 2.
The sixth inning was worse. Ian Kinsler led off the inning with a base hit and came around to score from first two batters later on a J.D. Martinez double down the left field line. Nick Castellanos reached on an infield single, moving Martinez to third. Miley then skipped a wild pitch into the backstop, scoring Martinez. A James McCann double scored Castellanos to give Detroit a 5-3 lead. Miley sat down the next two batters, but the damage already was done.
Miley owned a 7.20 ERA in the sixth inning heading into the game — worst in the majors — and the number only inflated Saturday.
— Junichi Tazawa had a lead in the seventh inning, but served up a two-run homer to former Red Sox catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez, who absolutely crushed a ball into the night in right field.
[tweet https://twitter.com/ScottLauber/status/630189147429298177 align=’center’]
— Alexi Ogando got into trouble in the eighth, but ultimately never allowed a run and held the score at 7-6.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Ortiz had a monster night.
The DH led off the top of the second inning by crushing a ball to dead center field for a double. Ortiz admired the shot all the way down the first base line before it hit off the 420 mark at the top of the center field wall. Fortunately, Ortiz was wearing his PF Flyers, and he hustled into second base with a leadoff double. He’d come around to score the game’s first run two batters later on a Travis Shaw sacrifice fly to right.
With the game tied at two in the sixth inning, Ortiz blasted a solo home run into the right-center field bleachers, giving the Sox a 3-2 lead.
He came up again in the seventh with the bases loaded, two outs and Boston trailing 5-4. He delivered once again with a two-run single to right-center field, giving the Red Sox a lead. He walked to extend the game with two outs in the ninth inning before being lifted for pinch runner Deven Marrero.
He finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. He has 10 home runs and 30 RBIs in his last 30 games.
— Blake Swihart had a three-hit night as well for Boston. He reached with a base hit to begin the third inning and came around to score on a Rusney Castillo fielder’s choice that would have been an inning-ending double play had Castillo not beaten the throw.
Swihart scored a second run on Ortiz’s single in the seventh inning.
— Castillo’s night was strange. He gave the Red Sox a run by legging out that fielder’s choice earlier in the game, and he drove in the only run without Swihart or Ortiz’s name on it with an infield single that he beat out two batters before Ortiz’s bases loaded single. The infield hit scored Alejandro De Aza, who had two hits of his own.
Castillo looked completely lost on a strikeout in the fifth inning with runners on first and second and two outs. Alfredo Simon wasn’t very good at any point Saturday, but Castillo’s at-bat made him look like Cy Young. Ditto that notion for his ninth-inning at-bat against Bruce Rondon, in which he also fanned at a pitch low and inside to begin the inning.
— Kinsler killed the Red Sox with three hits and two runs. McCann also had three hits for Detroit.
TWEET OF THE GAME
This was a heck of a bullpen.
[tweet https://twitter.com/redsoxstats/status/630189043079335938 align=’center’]
UP NEXT
The Sox and Tigers continue their three-game series Sunday. Rookie left-handed pitcher Henry Owens (0-1, 5.40 ERA) makes the second start of his big league career. He’ll face former Cy Young Award winner and American League MVP Justin Verlander (1-4, 5.05 ERA) for the Tigers.
Thumbnail photo via Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Images
