The Tigers have lost nine of 12 after winning 10 of 11.
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Retiring Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was honored before the game and presented with a framed photograph from his appearance at the 2005 All-Star Game at Comerica Park.
Rick Porcello was traded for Yoenis Cespedes prior to last season.
Porcello, who spent the first six seasons of his career with the Tigers before moving to Boston before the 2015 season, was pitching in Detroit for the first time since the trade.
Porcello has been great for the Red Sox this season and Friday was just another strong performance. “When we need a win, we know he’s going to get us one”. At the age of 27, he has finally taken that giant step forward that everyone has expected for years. His only major mistake was J.D. Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez went a combined 0-for-9 with three strikeouts.
“He was bound to have an outing like this at some point”, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. It also gave Ortiz 1,500 RBIs as a member of the Red Sox. Even when asked if he had enjoyed his return, he struggled to show his feelings.
“It was fun”, he said, sounding like someone discussing a grocery list.
In the meantime, it was a long night for the new Tigers uber-prospect.
Boston faced Fulmer earlier this year at Fenway Park, and realized that despite his world-class slider, he tends to attack hitters with fastballs early in the count.
“They are a fastball-hitting team, and they were ready for my fastball”, Fulmer said. They’ve seen the right-hander go deep into games, as he did in his previous start, when he threw a complete-game shutout for the first time in his career, a 7-0 blanking of the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Detroit Tigers shortstop Erick Aybar throws to first on a hit by Boston Red Sox’s Sandy Leon but the throw is too late to get the out during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, in Detroit.
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Altuve finished 3-for-6 with a two-run homer, a two-run double plus an RBI single for the Astros (62-60).
