Final, Tigers win 6-2: Tigers closer Joe Nathan entered the game and gave up just one hit to secure the victory and end Detroit’s five-game losing streak.
Boston’s losing streak has been extended to four games, and the defending World Series champions are just 1-4 in June.
These teams will meet again Saturday night in Detroit. The expected pitching matchup is a good one — Jon Lester versus reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.
End 8th, Tigers 6-2: Red Sox relief pitcher Chris Capuano replaced Burke Badenhop.
Victor Martinez hit a deep fly ball to left field for his 14th home run of the season and the third of the game for Detroit.
Bryan Holaday hit a triple to right-center field.
Red Sox reliever Edward Mujica replaced Capuano.
Austin Jackson hit a sacrifice fly to right field.
Nick Castellanos singled to right field.
Andrew Romine hit into a double play to end the inning.
Mid 8th, Tigers 4-2: Relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain replaced starter Drew Smyly.
Xander Bogaerts grounded out to short.
Dustin Pedroia flied out to right field.
Tigers catcher Alex Avila left the game after David Ortiz’s bat caught him on the helmet. Bryan Holaday replaced Avila behind the plate.
Ortiz grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
End 7th, 4-2 Tigers: Ian Kinsler grounded out to shortstop.
Torii Hunter picked up his third hit of the game with a single to center field.
Miguel Cabrera grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Mid 7th, 4-2 Tigers: Grady Sizemore struck out to start the inning.
Jonathan Herrera picked up his second hit of the night with a single to right field.
Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out swinging.
Brock Holt grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
End 6th, 4-2 Tigers: Alex Avila and Austin Jackson struck out swinging.
Nick Castellanos singled to left field.
Andrew Romine walked.
Rubby De La Rosa is replaced by Red Sox reliever Burke Badenhop.
Rajai Davis grounded out to second base to end the inning.
Mid 6th, 4-2 Tigers: Xander Bogaerts flied out to right field.
Dustin Pedroia hit a ground ball to Andrew Romine at shortstop, and his throw to first pulled Cabrera off the base. Pedroia ducked under the tag and was called safe.
David Ortiz hit a single to right field, and Pedroia advanced to third base.
Jonny Gomes hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field.
A.J. Pierzynski grounded out to second base to end the inning.
End 5th, 4-1 Tigers: Clutch two-out hits helped the Tigers increase their lead.
Andrew Romine grounded out to second base, and Rajai Davis struck out.
Ian Kinsler hit his sixth home run of the season on a line drive to left field. Torii Hunter hit a home run to right field as the Tigers went back-to-back.
Miguel Cabrera drew a walk. He advanced to second base on a wild pitch.
Victor Martinez grounded out to second base to end the inning.
Mid 5th, 2-1 Tigers: Grady Sizemore hit a fly ball deep to right field and Torii Hunter made a great over-the-shoulder catch for the out.
Jonathan Herrera hit a double to right field.
Jackie Bradley Jr. struck out for the second time in as many at-bats.
Brock Holt grounded out to second base to end the inning.
End 4th, 2-1 Tigers: Torii Hunter singled into center field to start the inning.
Miguel Cabrera singled to left field, and Hunter advanced to third base.
Victor Martinez hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field. Cabrera thought the ball was going to drop for a hit, and he rounded second base. When Jackie Bradley Jr. caught the ball, he threw it to first base for the double play. It was poor baserunning by Cabrera.
Alex Avila and Austin Jackson hit Detroit’s third and fourth singles of the inning to put runners on first and second with two outs.
Nick Castellanos flied out to right field to end the inning.
Mid 4th, 1-1: Dustin Pedroia flied out to left field.
David Ortiz grounded out to first base.
Jonny Gomes hit a hard ground ball over the glove of the third baseman and into left field for a double.
A.J. Pierzynski grounded out to second base to end the inning.
End 3rd, 1-1:Â Nick Castellanos led off the inning with his 10th double of the season for Detroit’s first hit of the game.
Andrew Romine hit an RBI single up the middle to tie the game. Castellanos scored from second base.
Rajai Davis reached first base on a fielder’s choice as Dustin Pedroia threw to second base to get the lead runner.
Ian Kinsler hit into a double play to end the inning.
Mid 3rd, 1-0 Red Sox: Jackie Bradley Jr. and Brock Holt struck out, and Xander Bogaerts grounded out to third.
An easy inning for Drew Smyly.
End 2nd, 1-0 Red Sox: Victor Martinez flied out to left field.
Rubby De La Rosa struck out Alex Avila and Austin Jackson to end the inning.
Mid 2nd, 1-0 Red Sox:Â A.J. Pierzynski popped out to short.
Grady Sizemore drew a walk on five pitches.
Jonathan Herrera hit a ground ball to Nick Castellanos at third base, who threw to second for the force out. Kinsler’s throw to first was not in time. The replay showed Herrera might have been out at first base, but Detroit didn’t challenge the play.
Herrera was caught stealing for the final out of the inning.
End 1st, 1-0 Red Sox: Rubby De La Rosa retired the side in order.
Ian Kinsler grounded out to second base for the first out.
Torii Hunter grounded out to second.
Reigning AL MVP Miguel Cabrera flied out to center field.
A.J. Pierzynski will lead off the top of the 2nd inning for Boston.
Mid 1st, 1-0 Red Sox: After going down 0-2, Brock Holt singled up the middle to lead off the game.
Xander Bogaerts hit a double to left field to bring in Holt for the first run of the game. The ball hit the top of the wall and bounced back into play.
Dustin Pedroia popped out to first base in foul territory.
David Ortiz grounded out to third base as Bogaerts advanced to third.
Jonny Gomes struck out to end the inning.
7:08 p.m.: We’re underway at Comerica Park! Drew Smyly’s first pitch to Brock Holt is a strike.
4:30 p.m. ET: The Boston Red Sox will look to end a three-game losing streak Friday night when they take on the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
These teams have played three times this season, with Detroit sweeping Boston in a three-game series at Fenway Park by a combined score of 13-3.
Making the start for the Red Sox is 25-year-old Rubby De La Rosa, who picked up his first career major-league win last Saturday with seven shutout innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. Detroit’s lineup will pose a larger threat than the Rays’. The Tigers rank fourth in the MLB in batting average, fourth in slugging percentage and 11th in on-base percentage.
The one notable lineup change for the Red Sox is Jonathan Herrera replacing Stephen Drew at shortstop. Xander Bogaerts will remain at third base.
The Tigers will send Drew Smyly to the mound. He’s 2-4 with a 4.10 earned run average this season.
Be sure to check back to this blog for score updates, play-by-play and analysis of tonight’s game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. ET.
The lineups for both teams are below.
Boston Red Sox (27-32)
Brock Holt, 1B
Xander Bogaerts, 3B
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Jonny Gomes, LF
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Grady Sizemore, RF
Jonathan Herrera, SS
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Detroit Tigers (31-25)
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Torii Hunter, RF
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Victor Martinez, DH
Alex Avila, C
Austin Jackson, CF
Nick Castellanos, 3B
Andrew Romine, SS
Rajai Davis, LF
