Wright got the ball in the top of the first and Ian Kinsler hit one up the elevator shaft to start. Jose Iglesias got a base hit to center and Miguel Cabrera hit a home run all the way to Altoona to put the Tigers up early. Victor Martinez flied out to left but Nick Castellanos walked. Justin Upton flied out to center to end the inning with the Tigers up 2-0.
Pelfrey got the ball in the bottom of the first and the Sox beat the ball in the dirt. Mr. Mookie Betts grounded out to third, Dustin Pedroia grounded out to short and Xander Bogaerts grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Tigers struck again in the top of the second as Mike Aviles singled to left to start. Aviles took second on a wild pitch and another old friend, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, grounded out to short to move Aviles to third. Tyler Collins drilled a base hit to left to score Aviles and promptly stole second. Kinsler flied out to right to move Collins to third and Iglesias lined a base hit to left to score Tyler. Cabrera popped up to first to end the inning with the Tigers up 4-0.
David Ortiz took strike three to start the bottom of the second and Hanley Ramirez grounded out to second. Jackie Bradley Jr got a base hit to right and Travis Shaw singled off the glove of Castellanos but Sandy Leon flied out to left to end the inning.
Martinez struck out swinging to start the top of the third before Castellanos flied out to right. Upton grounded back to the mound to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third as Brock "The Hitman" Holt lined out to first to start. Mr. Mookie doubled to center and moved to third on the Pedroia grounder to short. Xander Bogaerts was hit by pitch and Ortiz launched his 25th home run of the season to cut the lead. Ramirez grounded out to second to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Big Papi does it again
Aviles flied out to center to start the top of the fourth but Saltalamacchia got a base hit to left. Collins struck out swinging and Kinsler flied out to center to end the inning. The Sox took command in the bottom of the fourth as JBJ walked to start. Shaw got a base hit to center and Leon flied out to center to move Bradley to third. Holt hit a ground out to second where Shaw barely avoided the double play tag to score JBJ with the tying run. Mr. Mookie hit a line drive off the glove of Upton for a "double" to score Shaw. Pedroia grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-4.
Betts puts the Sox ahead
The Tigers finished off Wright in the top of the fifth as Iglesias walked to start. Cabrera walked and Martinez got a base hit to right to score Iglesias. After Hanley lost a pop up in the lights in foul territory, Casatellanos made him pay with a base hit to left to load the bases. Upton scored Cabrera with a grounder to first and Aviles popped up to first. Saltalamacchia singled up the middle to score both runners to chase Wright. The normally reliable Wright had his worst start of the year, allowing 8 runs in just 4 2/3 innings. Robbie Ross Jr came in to pitch to Collins and Tyler grounded out to second to end the inning with the Tigers up 8-5.
Bogaerts walked to start the bottom of the fifth but Ortiz grounded into a double play. Ramirez popped up to short to end the inning.
Kinsler got a base hit to left to open the top of the sixth but Iglesias forced Ian at second. Cabrera grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Sox rallied in the bottom of the sixth against Kyle Ryan as JBJ pounded his 16th home run of the season to start. Shaw struck out swinging but Leon was hit with a pitch. Holt hit a routine grounder to second but Kinsler threw the ball away for an error. That was it for Ryan as old friend Alex Wilson came in to pitch to Mr. Mookie. Betts drew a walk to load the bases and Pedroia got a base hit to center to score Leon. Bogaerts beat out a double play ball to score Holt with the tying run. Ortiz flied out to center to end the inning with the game tied 8-8.
Sox tie it up
Just as soon as the Sox tied the game, the Tigers struck again in the top of the seventh. Martinez struck out swinging to start and Castellanos grounded out to first. One strike away from being out of the inning, Ross plunked Upton. The floodgates opened as Aviles singled to center and Saltalamacchia walked to load the bases. Collins walked to score Upton to put the Tigers back on top and chase Ross. Joe Kelly got Kinsler to line out to center to end the inning but the Tigers now led 9-8.
Bruce Rondon came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Ramirez struck out swinging to start. JBJ grounded out to second and Shaw took strike three to end the inning.
Junichi Tazawa came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Iglesias grounded out to second to start. Cabrera grounded out to short but Martinez walked. Castellanos flied out to right to end the inning. Andrew Romine took over at third with Shane Greene now on the mound in the bottom of the eighth. Leon grounded out to second, Holt lined out to second and Mr. Mookie did the same to end the inning.
Tommy Layne came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Upton doubled off the Monster to start. Upton got picked off and Aviles grounded out to second. Saltalamacchia singled to right and Collins grounded out to second to end the inning. Francisco Rodriguez came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Pedroia grounded out to first to start. Bogaerts got a base hit to center but Ortiz banged into a double play to end the game. The Tigers had won it 9-8.
Tigers win
Jackass of the Night is Robbie Ross Jr. The Sox had rallied to tie the game and he coughed it up in the top of the seventh.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with a walk, rbi and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 3 with a hit by pitch, walk, rbi and a run scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 2 for 3 with a walk, home run and 2 total runs scored.
Travis Shaw was 2 for 4 with a home run.
Joe Kelly retired the only man he faced.
Junichi Tazawa pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Tommy Layne pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Hanley Ramirez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.hhh
Steven Wright allowed 8 runs in 4 2/3 innings off 9 hits and 3 walks.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 5 with an rbi.
David Ortiz was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but the one hit was a 3 run home run.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 but was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Brock Holt was 0 for 4 but drove in a run and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox have hit the skids for sure. Either they can't hit or they can't pitch the last week or so. Yesterday they couldn't hit Justin Verlander and tonight they scored 8 runs...only to give up 9. Steven Wright tossed a rare stinker tonight but Ross falling apart in the seventh was the difference maker. He lost all composure after hitting Upton with two strikes. That can't happen moving forward. This past week has been frustrating as they've been shut down by Kyle Gibson and Justin Verlander and lost two games when scoring 8 runs or more. The Sox better find a way to right the ship because they're going to lose major ground to Toronto and Baltimore otherwise. The loss dropped the Sox to 55-43, 2.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon when Eduardo Rodriguez takes on Michael Fulmer of Detroit. The game begins at 1:35 PM at Fenway Park.
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