The Boston Red Sox gave up a late four-run lead on Friday and still pulled out an extra-inning victory in Detroit.
The Red Sox will visit the Tigers again on Saturday evening in the second contest of a three-game series.
Ceddanne Rafaela put the Red Sox back on top in the 10th with a two-run homer. Boston went on to record a 7-5 victory, one night after getting shut out by Toronto.
“A W is a W,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We got here at 2 in the morning. It was hot, it was humid, it was a tough one. We gave up the lead in the ninth, they had the big rally in the eighth, but we were able to get the W.”
Boston’s Jarren Duran also homered in the 10th and added two doubles.
“He gets us going,” Cora said. “He’s fun to watch.”
Detroit ace left-hander Tarik Skubal will start Saturday’s game. Skubal (15-4, 2.58 ERA), the favorite for the American League Cy Young Award, will try to bounce back from one of his shortest outings of the season.
He allowed three runs and eight hits in five innings in a 13-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox last Saturday. Skubal had posted quality outings in his previous three starts.
“From Tarik’s vantage point, he wasn’t that sharp, and it didn’t look like he could throw the ball where he wanted to like he normally does,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He did lock it back in and got to the end of his innings and got through five.”
Skubal had an issue with the balls on the hot, humid night. He thought they were not rubbed down properly, rather than attributing it to the conditions.
“I’ve thrown in hotter games and in more humid games,” he said. “I don’t know what was going on with the balls (Saturday). I wasn’t a fan. I’ve never thrown out that many balls before. But I don’t really want that to be a story or sound like an excuse or anything. … You have to learn to pitch around some things and deal with it because it’s not going to be the last time something like that happens.”
Skubal is 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in three career starts against the Red Sox.
Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta (5-9, 4.61 ERA) has only one win since June 17. He logged six innings in long relief on Monday during the resumption of a suspended game against Toronto.
The right-hander gave up three runs (two earned) and four hits without a walk while striking out 10. Pivetta, who gave up a solo homer to George Springer, took the loss.
The long ball has been a big issue for Pivetta. He’s given up two homers in each of his last five starts. Overall, he’s surrendered 24 homers in 111 1/3 innings.
Pivetta faced the Tigers on May 30, allowing two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings while recording nine strikeouts. None of the current players on the Tigers’ roster had a hit in that game.
Pivetta is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA in three career appearances against Detroit.
–Field Level Media
