The finale of the three game series between Boston and Detroit didn’t go in favor of manager Brad Ausmus and theTigers as they dropped another one to the Bo-Soxs.
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Pulled after Jefry Marte led off the seventh inning with a home run, the 30-year-old Masterson – who’d thrown a scoreless sixth – was designated for assignment to create opportunities for other relievers, including recently acquired Ryan Cook. Both became iconic contributors to championship runs over three-season stints in Boston that left enduring marks. The Tigers lead the AL in hits with an impressive 9.6 per game.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, are 6-2 in their last eight games as a home favorite and 4-1 in their last five games versus a team with a losing record. He batted.275/.379/.552 with 54 homers and 131 RBIs over 221 games with Texas. No, he didn’t hit his 500th career home run – he’s still 11 shy after last night’s blast. It was his 23 multi-hit game of the season. He’s also been hitting much better of late, at.267/.362/.533 since the All-Star break, and a workable.231/.328/.443 since May 19.
There is really only one candidate on the Red Sox who could possibly strut this week – David Ortiz. Davis hit a two-run homer to tie it in the fifth, only to have Ortiz answer with a solo shot in the sixth.
In Cleveland, Jerry Sands had a pinch-hit grand slam and Abraham Almonte, called up from the minors before the game, was 4-for-5 with a two-run homer.
“We had a tough time keeping guys in the ballpark”, Boston manager John Farrell said. It was his 20th homer at Comerica Park, the most by a visiting player in the 15 seasons since it opened.
“Big Papi” may like his chances of continuing his surge since he is hitting.
Ian Krol: In the top of the eighth inning, the Tigers were only down one run.
Bradley’s walk got the Red Sox on the board, and Brock Holt drove in another run with an infield hit on a dribbler to second.
Verlander hasn’t walked anyone in three straight outings for the first time.
“I obviously didn’t necessarily do my job, facing the first hitter”, Hardy said. There are all kinds of stories, rumors, game coverage, and Vines of dudes getting hit in the beans every day.
Minutes before the first pitch of Boston’s game at Detroit on Friday night, Napoli was removed from the lineup. With Prince Fielder and Mitch Moreland already on the squad, Napoli will likely be relegated to a platoon role, seeing most of his action against left-handed pitching. They lost two of three in the weekend series.
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“I think, probably, these first two starts looking back, I kind of can trust myself in the zone more rather than tinkering around the strike zone”, Owens said following the Sunday’s game when asked about his experience in the majors thus far. The left-hander is taking the place in the rotation of injured former Detroit starter Rick Porcello.
