Red Sox Blow Late Lead, Fall To Tigers 4-3
By The Sports Xchange | Box Score
DETROIT -- Andrew Romine's bases-loaded walk with two out in the eighth inning Thursday capped a three-run rally that gave the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
Detroit halted a three-game losing streak and snapped Boston's six-game string of wins.
Ian Kinsler singled leading off the eighth against Red Sox reliever Junichi Tazawa (2-2), Erick Aybar doubled and Miguel Cabrera lined a single to center to shave the lead to 3-2. It was Cabrera's 1,000th RBI as a Tiger.
Victor Martinez greeted reliever Brad Ziegler with a ground RBI single to right, tying the score at 3, and J.D. Martinez walked to load the bases with nobody out. Ziegler got a force-out at home and a strikeout but walked Romine on a 3-1 pitch, which was inside.
Romine had faked a squeeze but pulled back on the 2-1 pitch, which was also inside.
Consecutive singles by Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez off Alex Wilson leading off the top of the eighth broke a 1-1 tie and Justin Wilson (3-4) wild-pitched Betts home following a reverse-force double play to give Boston a 3-1 edge.
Francisco Rodriguez earned his 34th save for pitching a scoreless ninth, although he walked the leadoff batter and gave up a one-out pinch single to David Ortiz. Bogaerts grounded out before Betts lined out to second to end the game.
Boston starter Clay Buchholz allowed six hits in his six innings, striking out three with no walks.
Detroit's Matt Boyd scattered five hits over his six innings, walking two and fanning four.
Sandy Leon, serving as the designated hitter with David not in the starting lineup, hit his seventh home run of the season to lead off the fourth inning against Boyd and tie the score at 1.
A bizarre play in the second led to Detroit's first run.
J.D. Martinez singled sharply to left off Buchholz with one out and Casey McGehee hit a full-count short liner to right-center that Jackie Bradley Jr. seemed to catch and then drop as he dove and slid on the turf.
An out signal was given by first base umpire Jerry Layne and Martinez retouched second and safely got back to first before the confusion began. The Tigers challenged the out call and it was reversed upon review, with Martinez awarded third base and McGehee planted back on first.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a sacrifice fly to center after Red Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield was ejected with a 2-0 count for excessive dugout chirping. It was the sixth time in his career Butterfield has been thrown out of a game.
NOTES: The Red Sox optioned INF Marco Hernandez to Triple-A Pawtucket on Thursday as it reinstated 1B Hanley Ramirez from the bereavement list. ... Detroit optioned OF Steven Moya back to Toledo following Wednesday night's game and purchased the contract of OF Alex Presley from its Triple-A affiliate. Presley started in left field against Boston. ... The Tigers designated RHP Bobby Parnell for assignment Thursday to make room for Presley on their 40-man roster. ... RHP Steven Wright (shoulder) will throw a bullpen this weekend in Detroit and if it goes well he could be activated off the disabled list to make a start on Tuesday.
