Fister got the ball in the top of the first and the Sox laid down and died. Jacoby Ellsbury flied out to left, Dustin Pedroia grounded out to third and Adrian Gonzalez struck out swinging to end the inning. The Tigers immediately pounced on Beckett in the bottom of the first inning as Austin Jackson led off with a walk. Brennan Boesch lined out to short but Miguel Cabrera hit a home run all the way to San Jose to give the Tigers the lead. Prince Fielder lined out to second and Delmon Young popped up to first in foul territory to end the inning with the Tigers up 2-0.
David Ortiz singled past the shift to begin the top of the second but Kevin Youkilis struck out swinging. Ryan Sweeney drew a walk but Cody Ross banged into a double play to end the inning. Beckett recovered in the bottom of the second inning as Alex Avila grounded out to first to start. Jhonny Peralta also grounded out to first and Andy Dirks flied out to left to end the inning.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia smacked a double to right to begin the top of the third but stayed there as Mike Avilies grounded out to third. Saltalamacchia moved to third on the grounder by Ellsbury but Pedroia grounded out to third to end the inning. Beckett blew away Ryan Raburn to start the bottom of the third but Jackson doubled to left. Boesch lined out to right and Cabrera took strike three to end the inning.
The Sox caught a break in the top of the fourth inning when Gonzalez singled to center and Fister started clutching his side. Ortiz flied out to right and Youkilis took strike three but Fister waved his arms and fell down. Fister had to be carried out on a stretcher and Duane "Look Out" Below came in. Sweeney popped up to short to end the inning but Detroit's starter was gone.
The Tigers picked up their teammate by smacking Beckett around in the bottom of the fourth inning. Fielder pounded a 50,000 foot home run to increase the lead before Young singled in the hole at first. Avila then crushed an 800,000 foot bomb to put the game out of reach. Peralta grounded out to third, Dirks grounded out to short and Raburn flied out to center to end the inning with the Tigers ahead 5-0.
The Sox rolled over and died in the top of the fifth inning as Ross grounded out to third, Saltalamacchia lined out to third and Avilies whiffed to end the inning. The Tigers finished off Beckett in the bottom of the fourth although Jackson took strike three to start. Boesch grounded out to first but Cabrera bashed his second home run of the day to light up the crowd. Fielder then crushed HIS second home run of the day to add to the misery. Young hit a routine grounder to Avilies who turned a round and threw the ball into the bullpen to make it look like a home run. He was charged with the error and Sox manager Bobby Valentine woke up from his nap to take Beckett out. He was ravaged for 5 home runs and 7 runs in 4 2/3 innings. Scott Atchison made his season debut and got Avila to fly out to center to end the inning but it was 7-0
The Sox failed to mount a comeback in the top of the sixth as Ellsbury grounded out to second to start. Pedroia took strike three but Gonzalez singled to right. Ortiz flied out to center to end the inning. The relentless Tigers got another run in the bottom of the sixth as Peralta and Dirks stroked back to back singles to start. Raburn forced Dirks at second and Jackson beat out a double play ball to score Peralta. Boesch grounded into a force to end the inning but it was 8-0 Tigers.
Octavio Dotel came in for the top of the seventh and Youkilis grounded out to third to start. Sweeney singled to center but Ross whiffed. Sweeney took second on defensive indifference and Saltalamacchia struck out swinging to end the inning. Matt Albers came in to take a beating in the bottom of the seventh as Cabrera grounded out to third to start. Fielder was hit with a pitch before Young and Avila stroked back to back singles to load the bases. Peralta hit a ground ball to third and Youkilis fired home for the force but Saltalamacchia spiked the ball like a football and did a boogie woogie for an error that scored Young. Avila moved to third on the error and that was it for Albers. Journeyman Justin Thomas came in and Dirks singled in the hole at short to scored Avila. Raburn struck out swinging to end the inning but it was 10-0 Tigers.
Ramon Santiago came in to play second, taking over for Young with Raburn moving to left to start the top of the eighth. Dotel struck out Avilies swinging before Phil Coke came in to get pinch hitter Darnell McDonald (for Ellsbury) looking. Pedroia drew a walk but Gonzalez whiffed to end the inning. Michael Bowden made his season debut in the bottom of the eighth by walking Jackson. Boesch banged into a double play and Cabrera grounded out to third to end the inning.
Joaquin Benoit came in to pitch the top of the ninth with Don Kelly now at first base. Kelly Shoppach pinch hit for Ortiz and singled to right but Youkilis banged into a double play. Sweeney singled to left but Ross whiffed to end the game. The Tigers had obliterated the Sox 10-0.
Jackass of the Night is Josh Beckett. He got pounded for 7 runs off FIVE home runs in just 4 2/3 innings.
The Good:
Adrian Gonzalez was 2 for 4.
David Ortiz was 1 for 3.
Kelly Shoppach singled as a pinch hitter.
Ryan Sweeney was 2 for 3 with a walk.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia was 1 for 3.
Michael Bowden pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Jacoby Ellsbury was 0 for 3.
Darnell McDonald struck out as a pinch hitter.
Kevin Youkilis was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Cody Ross was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Mike Avilies was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Scott Atchison allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings.
Matt Albers was charged with 2 runs in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 3 but walked.
Justin Thomas allowed an inherited runner to score in 1/3 of an inning
Final Thoughts:
If losing on walkoff on Opening Day wasn't bad enough, today the Sox got their brains totally beat in. Their supposed big time offense has scored 2 runs in two games while the Tigers scored 10 in this game alone. There were rumblings of some clubhouse problems in Spring Training and it seemed to have carried over to the regular season. The Sox offense and starters have been completely non-existent and the bullpen doesn't look too good either. Still, its only the second game of the season and the Sox have plenty of time to turn it around. The stench of last September seems to loom large over this team even with some new personnel. The Sox look to avoid a sweep in the series finale when they send Clay Buchholz to make his season debut against Max Scherzer at 2:05 PM Eastern time at Comerica Park.
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