Spencer Turnbull got the ball to start game in the top of the first and Alex Verdugo lined out to left to start. Rafael Devers grounded out to second and Justin Turner flied out to left to end the inning. Sale started the bottom of the first by walking Matt Vierling and Javier Baez on eight straight pitches to start. Then Sale struck out Riley Greene looking before punching out both Spencer Torkelson and Eric Haase swinging to end the inning.
Masa Yoshida got a base hit just past the mound to start the top of the second before Adam Duvall lined out to left. Triston Casas banged into a double play to end the inning. The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the second as Miguel Cabrera grounded out to third to start. Jonathan Schoop walked and Jake Rogers hit a home run all the way to the Palace in Auburn Hills to put the Tigers on top. Ryan Kreidler struck out swinging and Matt Vierling popped up to second to end the inning but Detroit led 2-0.
The Sox rallied in the top of the third as Christian Arroyo walked to start. Reese McGuire got a base hit to right and Kike Hernandez beat out a double play to score Arroyo. The rally ended as Hernandez got picked off and Verdugo popped up to third to end the inning with the Sox down 2-1.
The Tigers got to Sale again in the bottom of the third as Baez grounded out to short to start. Greene grounded out to second but Torkelson got a base hit to left. Haase got a base hit to left and Cabrera got a single to center to score Torkelson with another run. Schoop popped up to first to end the inning with the Tigers up 3-1.
The Sox struck back in the top of the fourth as Devers mashed his second home run of the season to cut the lead. Turner got plunked but Yoshida grounded into a double play. Duvall popped up to second to end the inning with the Sox down 3-2.
Sale recovered in the bottom of the fourth as Rogers grounded out to third to start. Kreidler grounded out to short and Vierling flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Casas grounded back to the mound to start. Arroyo lined out to left and McGuire took strike three to end the inning. Baez struck out swinging to begin the bottom of the fifth and Greene did the same. Hernandez threw a routine grounder by Torkelson away for an error but Sale blew away Haase to end the inning. That was it for Sale who ended up winning his first game since September 2021 by tossing 5 innings of 3 run ball.
The Sox pounced in the top of the sixth although Hernandez grounded out to second to start. Verdugo got a base hit to right and Devers doubled to right to score Alex to tie the game. Turner grounded out to third but Yoshida walked to chase Turnbull. Jose Cisnero was brought in to face Duvall and the gamble backfired as Yoshida stole second then Duvall smashed a three run bomb to put the Sox on top. Casas popped up to short to end the inning but it was 6-3 Sox.
John Schreiber came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Cabrera walked to start. Nick Maton pinch hit for Schoop and grounded into a double play. Rogers took strike three to end the inning.
Arroyo popped up to second to begin the top of the seventh before McGuire went down hacking. Hernandez popped up to second to end the inning. Chris Martin came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh with Austin Meadows pinch hitting for Kreidler. Meadows grounded out to second but Vierling singled to right. Vierling moved to second on the grounder to Martin by Baez, but Greene grounded out to third to end the inning.
Mason Englert came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Verdugo grounded out to short to start. Devers struck out swinging and Turner grounded out to third to end the inning. Ryan Brasier came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Torkelson struck oput swinging to start. Kerry Carpenter pinch hit for Haase and doubled to left, but Cabrera lined out to center. Maton walked but Rogers flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the ninth as Yoshida doubled to right to begin. Duvall walked and both runners moved over on the fly out to center by Casas. Alex Lange came in to pitch to Arroyo but Yoshida got thrown out at home on a grounder to third. McGuire walked to load the bases but Hernandez flied out to left to end the inning. Kenley Jansen came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and Meadows grounded out to second to start. Vierling flied out to center and Baez flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 6-3.
Sox win
Duvall The Hero
Hero of the Night is once again Adam Duvall. His 3 run home run put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Rafael Devers was 2 for 4 with a home run, 2 total rbis and 2 total runs scored.
Masa Yoshida was 2 for 3 with a walk, stolen base and a run scored.
Reese McGuire was 1 for 3 with a walk.
John Schreiber pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Chris Martin pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Kenley Jansen earned his first Sox save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Triston Casas was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Justin Turner was 0 for 3 but was hit with a pitch.
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 3 but walked and scored a run.
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 4 with an error but drove in a run.
Chris Sale got his first win since September 2021 but struggled, allowing 3 runs in 5 innings with 3 walks despite 7 strikeouts.
Final Thoughts:
Sale got his first win in 2 years and Jansen got his first save, feels good doesn't it? The bottom of the order is still a mess but the bullpen stepped up in this one after Sale left. Duvall has now been heavily involved in all three wins this season but he's a career low average hitter, how much longer can this go on? Still, rather have him win games now than not at all and this was a good win. Devers and Yoshida were a nice punch today and its good to see guys like Brasier and Schreiber lock it down. If Sox manager Alex Cora is going to baby the starters in April they're gonna need the bullpen to step up. Hopefully as the weather gets warmer Cora will let the starters go past the fifth inning or throw more than 75 pitches because if not, its 2021 all over again. Still, a win is a win and today they beat the Tigers fair. For some reason both teams are off tomorrow before resuming action on Saturday afternoon. Tanner Houck (0-0) goes for the Sox against Joey Wentz of the Tigers. The game begins at 4:15 PM Eastern time on Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park.
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