All you need to know about the Red Sox' win over the Tigers, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Offense (barely) carries the day: The Red Sox exploded for four runs in the first and three more in the second and led 8-2 after just three innings. And it was a good thing, too, that they raced out to such a commanding lead early because some sloppiness (three errors) and poor pitching made this one much closer than it should have been. Austin Brice took over in the sixth and proceeded to allow four of the first hitters to reach base, including a three-run homer by JaCoby Jones. Brice needed to be bailed out of that inning, just as Darwinzon Hernandez had to be aided and abetted by Matt Barnes in the eighth. When a team bangs out 14 hits and has a six-run lead with nine outs to go, it shouldn't be calling on its high-leverage relievers, and yet Alex Cora had to use Adam Ottavino, Hernandez and Barnes in a game in which his offense scored 11 runs and belted four homers. Only the ineptitude of the Tigers, losers of six straight, helped the Red Sox survive this one.
Pivetta OK, but not nearly efficient enough: Nick Pivetta picked up his fourth win without a loss and didn't pitch terribly, especially after he got past a shaky second inning that saw him allow two runs on four hits. But because he was needing so many pitches to get through every innings, he had to be pulled after just five innings with exactly 100 pitches. It's great that the Sox are so consistently getting their starters to go five innings -- they've done so all but six times in the first 30 games -- especially when you recall how poor the staff was last season. But that seems to be setting the bar too low. To save long-term wear-and-tear on their bullpen, the Sox need to be aiming for six innings from their starting pitchers. "I really wish I had limited pitches,'' confessed Pivetta, "and got ahead of guys a couple more times, and used my breaking ball and changeup a little bit more to get into that sixth, seventh inning.''
Renfroe shows some life: The problems at the bottom of the Red Sox order are well-documented, but there are signs that outfielder Hunter Renfroe, for one, is busting out. After three hits in the last two games on the trip. Renfroe enjoyed a three-hit night with a single, double and a homer -- his third of the season. "I think I've been going pretty good (lately),'' said Renfroe. "My timing's a little better. I've been working on it in the cage and staying with my approach.'' Another encouraging sign was the fact that two of Renfroe's hits were to right field, an indication that his work has paid off.
TURNING POINT
Just when things were getting very hairy, Matt Barnes came to the rescue. The Sox led by three in the eighth when Darwinzon Hernandez, after an error, walked two straight hitters and threw a wild pitch, loading the bases and bringing the potential tying run to the plate. But Barnes, brought into the eighth inning for the second straight game, needed only two pitches to get Miguel Cabrera to ground into an inning-ending double play that effectively sealed the win.
TWO UP
Kike Hernandez: With two walks and a solo homer, Hernandez was on base three times in five plate appearances at the top of the lineup.
Alex Verdugo: In addition to his fourth homer, the outfielder had a walk and a single as part of the Red Sox attack.
TWO DOWN
Darwinzon Hernandez: After a series of dominant appearances in the series in Texas, Hernandez was again erratic with two walks and a wild pitch.
Bobby Dalbec: Dalbec continued to scuffle at the plate with an 0-for-4 night, and compounded things by committing an error at first.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"This is a really, really good lineup. The thump that this lineup has from 1-9 is pretty incredible. I don't know if you can put another group up there that has the potential that we have.'' Hunter Renfroe.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox improved to 9-3 when scoring first and 15-1 when scoring four or more runs.
- The Sox have hit 10 homers in the last four games after hitting just one in their previous five.
- The game marked the fourth time this season that the Sox have scored four or more runs in the first inning.
- Xander Bogaerts has six homers in his last 13 games.
- Matt Barnes picked up the first five-out save by a Red Sox reliever since Jonathan Papelbon on July 21, 2008.