The Boston Red Sox handled the Detroit Tigers for a second consecutive night, earning a 5-4 win on Tuesday at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox, who have won 15 out of their last 19 games, improve their record to 38-31 while the Tigers fall to 26-42.
Check out the full box score here:
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
After Rich Hill labored through five innings, in which he allowed seven hits, three runs, two walks and struck out six, Boston’s bullpen walked a tightrope to close the door on the Tigers.
The Red Sox almost made it through four innings of relief without having to use John Schreiber and Tanner Houck — both worked in each of the past two games — but Red Sox manager Alex Cora went with Schreiber to record the final out of the contest.
Even though it wasn’t a lights out performance from Boston’s relievers, Ryan Brasier, Tyler Danish, Matt Strahm and Schreiber combined to hold the Tigers to a single run over four innings.
While Houck has taken over closer duties, those responsibilities initially fell to Strahm on Tuesday, but he surrendered a leadoff home run to Jonathan Schoop to start things in the ninth before getting two straight outs.
Boston’s bullpen has certainly made the pulse rate for fans going up several ticks — the Tigers did put the tying run on base in the final frame — over the last few games, but they continue to find a way to secure wins.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Trevor Story, who went 1-for-3 at the plate, delivered the biggest hit of the game for the Red Sox, belting a go-ahead, three-run home run over the Green Monster in the fourth inning. Story then flashed his glove, making a ridiculous leaping grab on a liner from Javier Baez to end the top of the seventh.
— Christian Vázquez added a big-time insurance run in the bottom of the seventh with a 364-foot home run. Vázquez, who now has four home runs on the campaign, finished 2-for-3.
— Baez was a thorn in the side for the Red Sox as the second baseman went 3-for-5 with a home run for the Tigers.
WAGER WATCH
J.D. Martinez came into the contest with +120 odds to record an RBI, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Martinez took care of that in the bottom of the first inning with a sacrifice fly to score speedster Jarren Duran. A $100 bet on that prop would have paid out a total of $220.
ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox look to complete their three-game sweep of the Tigers on Wednesday at Fenway Park. First pitch from the series finale comes at 7:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.
