He recorded a no-decision in that start, going 7 innings and allowing one run on five hits and no walks while striking out six.
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Boston starter Rick Porcello was dominant with both runs plated over seven frames. “I was looking to do the same thing against them that I did in Boston, but I’ll take some notes about what happened tonight”.
“That’s huge, especially against a guy who has been pitching as well as Michael”, Porcello said.
“I tried setting pitches up, and I guess I need to miss inside a little more”.
-This will be the second time the Tigers have faced lefty Drew Pomeranz since the Red Sox acquired him in a trade with San Diego in July.
“It is a roller coaster”, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.
“We wanted to match his intensity”, Bradley said. “That’s a good-hitting team, and I think they just had our number tonight”.
Outdone by a strong pitcher and outdone by a strapping offense.
“Every time I threw a fastball in tonight, they were ready for it”, he said.
J.D. Martinez homered in the second inning, but Porcello baffled his old teammates for the rest of the night.
Ortiz’ two-run bomb was followed by another two-run shot by Jackie Bradley Jr. later in the first inning as the Red Sox made Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer look like anything but the American League Rookie of the Year that he very well could be.
Fulmer allowed four runs in the first inning of a 9-4 loss to the Indians on May 5 in Cleveland.
Ortiz got a 96 miles per hour fastball down in the strike zone and crushed the 2-2 pitch to right for his 28th home run, which followed a one-out single to left by Xander Bogaerts.
The Oklahoma City native, who is garnering well-deserved consideration for rookie of the year, gave up a career-high six runs on 10 hits with one walk over 5⅔ innings as the Tigers dropped their ninth game in their past 12. Ortiz has hit more homers in Detroit than in any other ballpark outside the AL East.
Both pitchers settled down after that, and the score didn’t change until the sixth. RBI singles to Andrew Benintendi and Dustin Pedroia pushed the lead to 6-2 for the Red Sox. Fulmer retired the first two hitters, but base hits by Sandy Leon and Brock Holt put runners on first and second.
Bruce Rondon was ineffective in relief for the Tigers, allowing two runs in the seventh inning to pad Boston’s lead.
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (hamstring) threw in the bullpen Friday and remains on pace to start Sunday’s series finale. He would then progress to a simulated game before reporting to the minors for rehab games.
An interesting stat that Porcello has on his record is his home and away splits, while he was with Detroit his ERA was better on away games for his last 3 years with the team. Bogaerts had to call time to get a new glove from the Boston dugout.
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Porcello has been dominant at home this season, producing a ideal 12-0 record and an impressive 2.96 ERA in 13 starts at Fenway Park.
