Red Sox recap: Javy Báez belts 3-run homer in extra innings as Boston’s bullpen blows another in 10-9 loss

Tigers' Javy Báez wowed the crowd at Comerica Park, with a pair of three-run home runs, including one off reliever Greg Weissert in extra innings, as the Tigers defeated the Sox 10-9 in 11 innings.

Báez’s first three-run blast came in the sixth with two outs off Garrett Whitlock to put the Tigers up 6-4. Whitlock was charged with a blown save, his fourth in 15 appearances this season.

Spencer Torkelson drew a walk to start the inning against Whitlock, and he was on second base with two outs. Infielder Jace Jung, hitting .098, kept the inning alive, grinding through an eight-pitch at-bat, fouling off three tough two-strike pitches before taking one off the foot, bringing two runners on the bases for Báez.

“He’s hitting for average, he’s hitting for power,” Alex Cora told reporters postgame. “At one point, he was kind of one of the best players in baseball. They lost him for a while. When he signed here, he struggled. He got hurt. He had surgery. He looks like he’s back.” 

Four innings later, it looked like rookie Kristian Campbell was going to be celebrated as the game’s hero, hitting a slider for a two-run homer in the 11th off reliever Beau Brieske. 

His fifth home run of the season should have been the decisive factor. Before the at-bat, Campbell had a record of 0-for-4 with one walk and was hitting only .088 (3-for-34) in his last eight games leading up to Tuesday night’s game.

The Tigers quickly erased Boston’s momentum, seeing just three pitches before Báez connected for his second three-run homer, launching the ball 371 feet over the left field wall.

Báez's resurgence this season has been impressive, including with runners in scoring position, where he's 14-for-33 with three homers and 24 RBI this season. 

“We didn’t do a good job against the bottom of the lineup,” Cora said. “That’s the bottom line. We walked Javy once… and he hit two homers. He’s swinging the bat well. We need to do a better job.”

“We have to execute pitches, that’s the bottom line,” added Cora. “There were two pitches there to Javy in the zone.”

SOX OFFENSE PRODUCED

Alex Bregman, heavily booed by the Tigers fans in the stands, hit a solo blast in the fourth for his 10th home run of the season. He trails right fielder Wilyer Abreu (11) for second on the team.

David Hamilton had a clutch two-run homer in the eighth inning, plus Campbell’s big blast in extras. His homer tied the game 6-6 for his second of the season. The speedy infielder hasn’t seen much playing time but made the most of it on Tuesday night, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI with one strikeout.

The bottom of the lineup was productive, highlighted by catcher Carlos Narváez’s three-hit performance and first baseman Nick Sogard, who reached base twice while going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a strikeout.

Sogard, Narváez, and Ceddanne Rafaela combined for eight hits, including three extra-base hits and five RBI, while reaching base 10 times.

Jarren Duran had a strong offensive night, hitting a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth to make it 4-3 and ripping a double with two outs in the eighth inning.

Every member in the Red Sox lineup had at least one hit except designated hitter Rafael Devers, who went 0-for-6 with three strikeouts.

The Red Sox out-hit the Tigers 14-11 in the game, but the Tigers did more with their opportunities, going 5-for-17 with runners in scoring position while stranding just seven. Meanwhile, the Sox were 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.

BELLO LABORED

Brayan Bello wasn’t sharp and pitched just 4 2/3 frames, laboring through a long first inning and running into issues again in the third and fourth innings.

The righty allowed two earned runs—three total—on six hits and two walks and struck out four before Cora went to the bullpen. Justin Wilson, Whitlock, Brennan Bernardino, Justin Slaten, Aroldis Chapman, and Weissert worked the rest of the way.

Whitlock blew the save, giving up the first of two homers to Baez. Cora stays loyal to his key pitchers in his bullpen, but with four blown saves in five games, he might need to consider using Whitlock in low-leverage situations to help get him back on track. He owns a 10.80 ERA (eight earned runs in 6 2/3 innings) while allowing nine hits, issuing four walks, and allowing two homers in his last five outings.

“I didn’t throw fastballs for strikes so I’m pretty pissed at myself for that,” Whitlock said after the game. “Put two guys on because of it, then Javy being smart probably was sitting for a slider because I couldn’t throw a fastball for a strike. He didn’t miss it. That was terrible by me and I’ve got to be better than that.

“It feels awful. It was just really bad today. Got brought in to do a job and didn’t do it. They basically could eliminate a pitch today because I didn’t have it. When that’s one of my main strengths and I don’t have it, it’s easy to hit me.”

Liam Hendriks, who was warming in the bullpen before Weissert coughed up the game-winning homer, has pitched eight straight scoreless innings in low-leverage situations, striking out six and allowing just four hits has done more than enough to earn higher-leverage situations in the near future.

Chapman took the mound in the ninth and set the Tigers down in order 1-2-3 to send the game to extra innings.

TOUGH CHALLENGE IN SERIES FINALE

The Red Sox will look to avoid a three-game sweep but will be challenged by reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal (4-2, 2.08 ERA). Rookie Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 2.78 ERA). The first pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET and can be seen on NESN.