All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Tigers, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Story supplies big hit: Trevor Story may be hitting just .223 for the season, but he's made sure to make his hits count. That was never more true than Tuesday night when he walloped a three-run homer over everything in left, turning what had been a one-run deficit into a two-run lead. Story leads the Sox in RBI with 49, and seven of his 11 homers this season have either tied the score or given the Red Sox the lead. It's worth nothing, too, that the Red Sox won each of their last 15 games in which Story has collected at least one RBI. For the season, Story has knocked in a run in 24 games, and the Red Sox are 20-4 in those contests. "I think I get a little smaller in those situations (with runners on base),'' he said, "and I think that helps me a lot. (The RBI stat) is something that I've taken a lot of pride in in the past. I feel like we're losing a little love for it in the analytic world. But it means a lot to me, and I like coming through in those situations.''
Hill gives Sox five: Veteran lefty Rich Hill hasn't gone very deep in his starts, but he has managed to keep the Red Sox in the majority of his starts. He left with the Sox leading 4-3, and picked up his third victory of the season. "One thing for me personally, to go deep into games is something I always want to give the guys in this locker room,'' said Hill, "so if there's anything disappointing, on my part, it's not going another inning to cut down (the workload) for the bullpen.'' As it was, Hill had to labor through the fifth, walking the first hitter he faced in the inning, then, after a lineout, allowing two more singles, the second of which produced the third Tigers run. After five, his pitch count was at 90, so that was deemed enough.
Series win piling up: The Red Sox have not had a winning streak longer than seven, and that can't hold a candle to some other teams -- like the Yankees and Atlanta Braves -- who've had streaks in double-figures recently. But for the last seven weeks, the Red Sox have been taking care of business on a consistent basis, winning two-of-three at a consistent clip. By winning Tuesday, the Sox wrapped up another series win, giving them six straight, with the opportunity to go for the sweep Wednesday night. In their last 13 series, the Sox are 10-1-2. That kind of pace may not allow them to catch the Yankees in the standings, but it should, at the very least, put them in good standing when it comes to qualifying for the postseason.
TURNING POINT
After the fourth inning, the Red Sox collected just two hits in their final four innings. The first was a leadoff single by Xander Bogaerts to open the sixth, which went wasted when the next three hitters failed to do anything Then, leading off the seventh, Christian Vazquez took lefty Andrew Chafin into the Monster Seats with the first pitch thrown by the reliever. At the time, it extended the Red Sox lead to two, but its real value was realized when the Tigers drew a run closer in the ninth and the Vazquez homer was the run separating the teams.
TWO UP
Ryan Brasier: On a night in which the Red Sox were shorthanded in the bullpen, Brasier tied a career high by going two innings, allowing just one baserunner.
Christian Vazquez: Vazquez has a big night at the plate, stroking a double in the fourth before adding a solo homer to lead off the seventh. The latter proved to be the margin of victory.
TWO DOWN
Franchy Cordero: It was a frustrating night offensively for Cordero, who followed up a three-hit night Monday with a three strikeout night Tuesday.
Matt Strahm: Called on for the top of the ninth with the Sox up by two, Strahm made things more interesting right away when he yielded a solo homer to Jonathan Schoop, the first batter he faced.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"That was awesome. I was pretty excited to have him come up to bat. He was awesome when I was there, an awesome leader over in Detroit, so it was very cool to face him.'' John Schreiber, who retired Miguel Cabrera for the final out.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* The Red Sox improved to a season-best seven games over .500
* The Sox are 10-1-2 in their last 13 series after starting the year 1-7-1.
* Over the last 40 games, the Sox are 28-12, their best 40-game stretch since the 2018 season.
* Of the 11 homers hit by Trevor Story, only three have been solo shots.
* Xander Bogaerts is hitting .373 with an OPS of .949 in June.
* The Sox have outscored opponents 92-57 this month.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Tigers wrap up their series Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. with RHP Michael Wacha (5-1, 2.28) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (5-4, 3.13).