Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale didn't get off to the strongest start and he didn't have his best stuff with command issues showing up early.
But Sale heard a message from his Red Sox teammates loud and clear, and it helped the veteran maintain his confidence in Boston's 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. The win ultimately marked the first of Sale's campaign and an improved effort after what he referred to as an embarrassing season debut last week.
"The whole time they kept telling me, 'Hey, we're going to pick you up. We're good,'" Sale told reporters of the message he received from teammates, as seen on NESN's postgame coverage. "The confidence they have in themselves gives me confidence to go out there and just keep battling.
"Again, I didn't have my best command but I knew if I could just keep it within an arm's reach we had a chance," Sale continued. "They were walking around that dugout, we were down, and you wouldn't have noticed."
Sale, who allowed three runs on four hits in five innings, was able to earn the win after Red Sox centerfielder Adam Duvall hit what proved to be the game-winning home run in the top of the sixth. Duvall's three-run blast followed a one-out RBI double from Rafael Devers. Devers hit his second home run of the campaign in the fourth inning to cut Boston's deficit to 3-2.
"Again, I've said it for years, I've said it in spring training, our offense just doesn't let up," Sale said. "It doesn't matter if they have a bad day, a good day, you never know. Anything can happen at any time. They stepped up again. They swung the bats incredible, couple big homers, and we come out with a win."
The Red Sox will return to Comerica Park on Saturday as they face the Tigers in the middle game of the three-game set. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET, and you can watch it live on NESN.
