The Boston Red Sox offense was on fire from the first inning of their game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.
Climbing out to as much as a six-run lead by the third inning thanks to the bats and a decent start from Nick Pivetta, the bullpen made it interesting, allowing the Tigers to climb within two.
But the Red Sox ultimately held on to an 11-7 win thanks to a 14-hit night and four home runs from Alex Verdugo, Xander Bogaerts, Hunter Renfroe and Kike Hernandez.
With the win, Boston improves to 18-12 on the season and 9-8 at home.
Here's how it all went down:
ON THE MOUND
-- Nick Pivetta was the winning pitcher Tuesday, striking out eight batters and giving up three earned runs off six hits and two walks for the Red Sox. He battled though some long at-bats, though, and 100 pitches by the end of the fifth were enough to hang his hat on.
-- Once Pivetta's day was done, the Red Sox turned into righty reliever Austin Brice in the low-leverage situation and things got interesting.
He made it just 2/3 innings after giving up four runs (including a homer) on three hits and one hit batter.
-- Matt Andiese took over on the mound in the top of the sixth and gave up a single that scored the inherited runner and made it a two-run game, but from there, he struck out the next two batters looking.
-- Adam Ottavino took over for the seventh and walked the second batter he saw, but two straight strikeouts ended his inning as well.
-- Darwinzon Hernandez struggled out of the bullpen and didn't get through the eighth inning.
A runner got on by way of a fielding error by first baseman Bobby Dalbec and the next was walked. Both runners advanced after a wild pitch and another walk loaded the bases. He handed the game to the closer a bit early after one strikeout, though he never gave up a hit.
-- Matt Barnes took over in the eighth and forced Miguel Cabrera into a double play to get out of the jam he inherited. He came back out to close out the win and recorded one strikeout.
IN THE BATTER'S BOX
-- The Red Sox tore into Michael Fulmer early after the Tigers starter walked leadoff batter Kike Hernandez, who advanced to third on a throwing error from the pitcher and scored after J.D. Martinez grounded into a fielder's choice. Consecutive singles from Bogaerts, Vazquez and Marwin Gonzalez helped Martinez round the bases, and an RBI single from Hunter Renfroe scored Vazquez and put Boston up 4-0 by the end of the inning.
-- Multiple players recorded multi-hit games by the second.
Verdugo, batting second in the inning, hit a solo shot over the monster, and after a Martinez single to center, Bogaerts hit a homer to make it a 7-2 game.
Verdugo singled after that, but was called out in a double-play to end the inning.
-- Renfroe recorded his second hit of the night in the third thanks to a ground rule double, and scored on a wild pitch. Later in the fifth, he went yard into the Green Monster seats to make it a 9-3 game. It was his 100th home run of his career, and he finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
-- Martinez recorded another single to left in the bottom of the sixth and made a great hustle play, scoring from first base after a Vazquez double up the third base line. The designated hitter finished 2-for-5 with three runs and an RBI.
-- Hernandez gave the Red Sox some necessary insurance with a 399-foot homer to lead off the eighth inning and make it an 11-7 game. He was 1-for-3 with two runs, and RBI and two walks.
-- Verdugo (2-for-4 with a run, RBI and walk) and Bogaerts (2-for-5 with two runs, two RBI) also had multi-hit nights.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Kevin Plawecki ordered the team a new customized home run cart, and Verdugo got the first spin.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox play the second of their three-game series against the Tigers on Wednesday. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
