The Red Sox ended their first road trip of the 2022 Major League Baseball season on a high note with a 9-7 win over the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park.
Boston improved to 3-3, while Detroit fell to 2-4.
You can check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
It turns out, the Red Sox know Eduardo Rodriguez more than he knows them.
The Tigers southpaw said he hoped to know his former team better in the rubber match, but a six-run fourth inning opened up the game and ended Rodriguez’s afternoon after just 3 2/3 innings.
The Red Sox offense began the season slow and struggled to hit with runners in scoring position, but three doubles, a single and a sacrifice fly sparked Boston’s bats in the fourth inning and provided plenty of insurance for Nathan Eovaldi.
The Red Sox tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning for good measure, and it’s a good thing for Boston they did because the Tigers tried to rally by scoring two runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth to make it a two-run game.
The bullpen had been fine for the Red Sox through five games, but the offense picked a perfect time to catch fire after the relievers struggled Wednesday. Christian Vázquez was the only member of the Red Sox to not register a hit.
THREE STARS OF THE GAME
— After starting 2022 going 0-for-19, Kiké Hernández has been a force at the plate. The outfielder followed up his 2-for-4 performance Tuesday with another 2-for-4 afternoon that included two RBIs and as many runs.
— Jackie Bradley Jr. made the most of getting (most of) Tuesday off with a 2-for-4 day that included two doubles, a run and three RBIs. The doubles were Bradley’s first two hits this season after he struggled through Boston’s first five games.
— Trevor Story was unlikely to return to the Red Sox on Tuesday after food poisoning kept him out of the lineup for the last three games. But the second baseman returned and helped the offense in the sixth inning.
Story finished the day going 2-for-5 with an RBI.
WAGER WATCH
The Red Sox’s over/under was 4.5 runs, according to DraftKings, and if you took the over at +115, you knew by the fourth inning you made a good bet.
NEXT ON NESN
The Red Sox enjoy an off day Thursday before returning home for the first time in 2022. Nick Pivetta is expected to get the ball for Boston on Friday when it welcomes the Minnesota Twins to Fenway Park. First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. ET, and you can catch all the action on NESN beginning at noon.
