Tigers 2, Red Sox 0
Fenway Park, Boston, Mass.
August 13, 2009
Headliner: Justin Verlander put an end to the Red Sox' three-game winning streak with a dominant performance. Verlander pitched eight scoreless innings against the Red Sox, allowing just four hits in his 123-pitch outing. Verlander struck out eight and walked one, as the Red Sox were shut out for the third time in seven games.
Dirt Dog: Ryan Raburn had quite the day at the plate and was really the only player on either team to come away with an offensive performance worth talking about. Raburn went 2-for-3 with a home run, double, two RBIs and a run scored to amount for the only offense in the entire game. Raburn drove in the game's only two runs and his solo home run in the seventh inning was his seventh of the season.
Better luck next time: Thursday marked back-to-back solid starts for Clay Buchholz but the righty came away with his second loss in as many starts due to the opposing pitcher. After being out-pitched by CC Sabathia last Saturday at Yankee Stadium, Buchholz was out-pitched by Verlander at Fenway. Buchholz pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and one earned on five hits, but it wasn't good enough against Verlander, who won for the 13th time this season.
Key moment: With the gamed tied 0-0 entering the fourth, Buchholz allowed a single to Miguel Cabrera and Cabrera advanced to second on a fielding error by right fielder Josh Reddick. Buchholz got Carlos Guillen to ground out to first, moving Cabrera to third, before walking Magglio Ordonez. With men on the corners and two outs, Raburn singled on a slow grounder to third to score Cabrera and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. That is all the Tigers would need in the game with Verlander shutting them down for eight innings.
On deck: After the brief four-game homestand, the Red Sox head back on the road for six games against the Rangers and the Blue Jays. Sitting six games back in the AL East after their loss to the Tigers and just a 1/2 game ahead of the Rangers in the wild-card race, the upcoming three-game series with the Rangers is crucial for both teams. The Rangers are 5-1 against the Red Sox this season, having swept Boston from July 20-22 in Texas, as Jon Lester (9-7, 3.67) faces Kevin Millwood (9-7, 3.38) in the opening game of the series.
