BOSTON – Breaking down the AL Championship Series Game 2 at Fenway Park.
Red Sox 6, Tigers 5: Series tied 1-1.
BOX SCORE: Red Sox 6, Tigers 5
***
State of the Series: After a travel day, the series resumes in Detroit on Tuesday with the Tigers sending Justin Verlander to the mound in Game 3 against John Lackey for the Red Sox.
After a subpar (by his standards) regular season, Verlander (13-12, 3.46 ERA) pitched the Tigers past the Oakland A's in the decisive fifth game of the Division Series. He shut out the A's on two hits in a 3-0 win. Verlander has faced the Red Sox once in 2013, allowing four earned runs in five innings of a no-decision in June. In his career against Boston, he's 3-4 with a 3.63 ERA.
Lackey (10-13, 3.52 in the regular season) wasn't at his best in Game 2 of the Division Series against Tampa Bay, allowing four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. But he got the win as the Red Sox bats bailed him out in a 7-4 victory. Lackey was 0-1 with a 3.14 ERA in two starts vs. the Tigers in 2013 and 6-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 12 career starts against them.
GAME 2: Big Papi saves Red Sox
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Game 2 pivot point: Despite the Tigers' dominance through the first seven innings, the Red Sox were able to get the tying run to the plate when David Ortiz stepped in to face closer Joaquin Benoit with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth.
Ortiz hammered a first-pitch fastball over the glove of leaping right fielder Torii Hunter as both the ball and Hunter cleared the wall and landed in the Red Sox bullpen. Despite his history of clutch playoff hits, the grand slam was Ortiz's first-ever in the postseason.
The blast may have saved the Red Sox's season.
***
Man of the Moment: Although Tigers starter Max Scherzer didn't quite match teammate Anibal Sanchez's six no-hit innings from the night before, he was even more dominant in his Game 2 performance.
Scherzer lost his no-hit bid with two outs in the sixth and even allowed the first Red Sox run of the series. However, he also struck out 13 batters and allowed just five baserunners over seven innings, routinely getting Boston hitters to swing at bad pitches and keeping them off balance with his four-pitch repertoire.
Another indicator of Scherzer's dominance: The Red Sox only managed to hit eight of his 108 pitches into fair territory.
***
What you missed on TV: In addition to being indelibly linked in Game 2's most memorable play, Ortiz and Hunter have much more in common.
Before the game, Ortiz lingered on the field long after Boston's hitters finished taking batting practice, even taking time to razz Hunter as he was taking swings in the batting cage.
Ortiz and Hunter came up through the Minnesota Twins organization and were teammates their first five seasons in the majors from 1997-2002. "I thought he was the best hitter in 2002 on our ballclub," Hunter said before the game. "We nontendered him and the Red Sox picked up a gold mine. … And he's been one of the best postseason performers in the history of the game."
How prophetic Hunter's words would be some six hours later.
"We're enemies," Hunter said before the game, "but I love him to death."
***
Manager's Special: After taking Scherzer out of the game after throwing 108 pitches in seven innings, Tigers manager Jim Leyland used four different relievers in the fateful eighth inning. He began the inning with Jose Veras, who got the first out of the inning before allowing a double to Will Middlebrooks.
Leyland brought in lefty Drew Smyly to face Jacoby Ellsbury, who walked. But when he brought in right-hander Al Alburquerque to face Shane Victorino, he also lost his most reliable southpaw for a spot in case Ortiz happened to come to the plate as the tying run.
ALCS: RED SOX vs. TIGERS
Red Sox 6, Tigers 5: Series tied 1-1.
BOX SCORE: Red Sox 6, Tigers 5
***
State of the Series: After a travel day, the series resumes in Detroit on Tuesday with the Tigers sending Justin Verlander to the mound in Game 3 against John Lackey for the Red Sox.
After a subpar (by his standards) regular season, Verlander (13-12, 3.46 ERA) pitched the Tigers past the Oakland A's in the decisive fifth game of the Division Series. He shut out the A's on two hits in a 3-0 win. Verlander has faced the Red Sox once in 2013, allowing four earned runs in five innings of a no-decision in June. In his career against Boston, he's 3-4 with a 3.63 ERA.
Lackey (10-13, 3.52 in the regular season) wasn't at his best in Game 2 of the Division Series against Tampa Bay, allowing four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. But he got the win as the Red Sox bats bailed him out in a 7-4 victory. Lackey was 0-1 with a 3.14 ERA in two starts vs. the Tigers in 2013 and 6-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 12 career starts against them.
GAME 2: Big Papi saves Red Sox
***
Game 2 pivot point: Despite the Tigers' dominance through the first seven innings, the Red Sox were able to get the tying run to the plate when David Ortiz stepped in to face closer Joaquin Benoit with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth.
Ortiz hammered a first-pitch fastball over the glove of leaping right fielder Torii Hunter as both the ball and Hunter cleared the wall and landed in the Red Sox bullpen. Despite his history of clutch playoff hits, the grand slam was Ortiz's first-ever in the postseason.
The blast may have saved the Red Sox's season.
***
Man of the Moment: Although Tigers starter Max Scherzer didn't quite match teammate Anibal Sanchez's six no-hit innings from the night before, he was even more dominant in his Game 2 performance.
Scherzer lost his no-hit bid with two outs in the sixth and even allowed the first Red Sox run of the series. However, he also struck out 13 batters and allowed just five baserunners over seven innings, routinely getting Boston hitters to swing at bad pitches and keeping them off balance with his four-pitch repertoire.
Another indicator of Scherzer's dominance: The Red Sox only managed to hit eight of his 108 pitches into fair territory.
***
What you missed on TV: In addition to being indelibly linked in Game 2's most memorable play, Ortiz and Hunter have much more in common.
Before the game, Ortiz lingered on the field long after Boston's hitters finished taking batting practice, even taking time to razz Hunter as he was taking swings in the batting cage.
Ortiz and Hunter came up through the Minnesota Twins organization and were teammates their first five seasons in the majors from 1997-2002. "I thought he was the best hitter in 2002 on our ballclub," Hunter said before the game. "We nontendered him and the Red Sox picked up a gold mine. … And he's been one of the best postseason performers in the history of the game."
How prophetic Hunter's words would be some six hours later.
"We're enemies," Hunter said before the game, "but I love him to death."
***
Manager's Special: After taking Scherzer out of the game after throwing 108 pitches in seven innings, Tigers manager Jim Leyland used four different relievers in the fateful eighth inning. He began the inning with Jose Veras, who got the first out of the inning before allowing a double to Will Middlebrooks.
Leyland brought in lefty Drew Smyly to face Jacoby Ellsbury, who walked. But when he brought in right-hander Al Alburquerque to face Shane Victorino, he also lost his most reliable southpaw for a spot in case Ortiz happened to come to the plate as the tying run.
ALCS: RED SOX vs. TIGERS
