Ace Josh Beckett kept the Tigers in check all night long, allowing just two runs on three hits en route to his league-best 14th win of the season. Beckett improved his home record to 8-0 on the year and lowered his overall ERA to 3.10.
Hideki Okajima and Ramon Ramirez each tossed a scoreless inning in relief as Boston's staff allowed just three hits, one walk and one hit batsman in nine innings of work.
After a Mike Lowell solo blast in the second and a Jason Bay two-run homer in the third, the Red Sox broke out with five runs in the fifth to open up a substantial lead on the Tigers and seal their third straight win. On Thursday, Boston will shoot for its first four-game series sweep since mid-April and its second sweep of the Tigers this season.
Boston remains 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas in the AL Wild Card race as the Rangers shut out the Indians 5-0.
Red Sox 8, Tigers 2
Fenway Park, Boston, Mass.
August 12, 2009
Headliner: Josh Beckett picked up his MLB-best 14th win thanks to another superlative performance where he allowed two runs on three hits while striking out six and walking one over seven frames. The big righty retired the first 11 batters he faced before walking Clete Thomas with two down in the top of the fourth. His no-hit and shutout bids came to halt in the next inning when Carlos Guillen smashed a leadoff solo homer over the Sox bullpen in right. Beckett, who threw just 97 pitches, allowed another solo homer in the seventh before calling it a night.
Dirt dog: One night after smashing a three-run homer, left fielder Jason Bay went 3-for-3 with a two-run blast and a pair of doubles. The three-hit game was his fifth three-plus hit contest of the season as he improved his hitting streak to seven games. So far this series, Bay has gone 6-for-10 with four runs scored, six RBIs and three homers while walking three times. Tigers pitching has yet to strike Bay out in 13 plate appearances.
Better luck next time: Tigers starter Zach Miner went 4 2/3 innings in his spot start and the 27-year-old righty got tagged for five earned runs on seven hits and two walks. Miner struck out three but coughed up a pair of taters for his third loss on just his fifth start of the season.
Key moment: After Detroit cut the Sox lead to 3-1 with a fifth-inning blast by Carlos Guillen, Red Sox bats quickly added five insurance runs for starter Josh Beckett in the bottom half of the frame. After two quick outs, Jason Bay rocked a double to center off starter Zach Miner before David Ortiz smacked a single to put runners on the corners. When Miner was taken out, Mike Lowell greeted reliever Freddy Dolsi with an RBI single to put the Sox up 4-1. Dolsi then walked the bases loaded to spark an onslaught of runs for the BoSox, which began with an RBI single from Casey Kotchman, his third as a member of the Red Sox. Jason Varitek drew a bases-loaded walk, J.D. Drew scored on a passed ball and Kotchman scored on Brandon Inge’s throwing error to give the Sox the 8-1 advantage.
On deck: Boston and Detroit conclude their four-game set with afternoon baseball on Thursday as the Sox turn to Clay Buchholz, who 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 season 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 and was saddled with the loss as the Sox were shut out 5-0 by 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.
Tiger fireballer Justin 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 so far in two August starts. He has allowed five earned runs in each of his last two starts and 16 hits in 14 combined innings.
