The good news was the Boston Red Sox swept the Detroit Tigers out of Detroit but the bad news was the Sox may have lost outfielder Adam Duvall for a long period of time due to a bad wrist injury. Kutter Crawford (1-1, 8.00 ERA) bounced back big time by tossing 5 solid innings while allowing just a single run. Offensively Triston Casas stepped up by putting the Sox on the board in the second inning and belting a solo home run in the ninth inning. Justin Turner and Rob Refsnyder also knocked in runs to aid the cause. The Sox bullpen once again had to toss four innings but Kenley Jansen slammed the door in the ninth. All eyes are on Duvall but the Sox swept the Tigers with a 4-1 victory over the Tigers at Comerica Park.
Boyd got the ball in the top of the first inning and Rob Refsnyder drew a walk to start. Rafael Devers and Justin Turner both struck out swinging but Alex Verdugo got a base hit to center. Adam Duvall struck out swinging to end the inning. The Tigers wasted no time getting Crawford in the bottom of the first as Akil Baddoo flied out to right to start. Riley Greene flied out to center but Javier Baez singled in the hole at short. Kerry Carpenter looked to have struck out swinging to end the inning....but the ball was nowhere close to the plate and Carpenter made it to first. Naturally Spencer Torkelson lined a base hit to left to score Baez to put the Tigers on top. Nick Maton struck out swinging to end the inning with the Tigers up 1-0.
The Sox answered in the top of the second as Christian Arroyo popped up to third to start. Kike Hernandez drew a walk and Triston Casas doubled into the right field corner to score him to tie the game. Connor Won popped up to third and Refsnyder lined out to center to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
Miguel Cabrera was retired on a squibber to Crawford to start the bottom of the second before Jonathan Schoop flied out to right. Eric Haase struck out swinging to end the inning.
Devers grounded out to second to start the top of the third before Turner drew a walk. Verdugo then hit a bullet to Baez who doubled off Turner to end the inning. Baddoo flied out to left to open the bottom of the third before Greene struck out swinging. Baez singled to center but Carpenter lined out to right to end the inning.
Duvall singled in the hole at second to start the top of the fourth but Arroyo hit into a double play. Hernandez walked but Casas struck out swinging to end the inning. Torkelson looked to have beat out a grounder to short but Sox manager Alex Cora challenged that he never touched first. Sure enough the call was overturned, Torkelson was out. Maton and Cabrera struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox took command in the top of the fifth as Wong doubled to left to start. Refsnyder struck a base hit to left to score Wong to put Boston on top. Devers popped up to short but Baez threw a grounder by Turner away. Verdugo popped up to short and that was it for Boyd. Jason Foley came in to pitch to Duvall and he forced Turner at second to end the inning with the Sox up 2-1.
Schoop singled to left to start the bottom of the fifth but Haase grounded into a double play. Baddoo doubled to right but Greene grounded out to second to end the inning. That was it for Crawford as Dr. Quick Hook Cora once again pulled a starter after 5 innings and just 64 pitches but Crawford did a good job, allowing just 1 run on 5 hits.
Arroyo grounded out to second to start the top of the sixth before Hernandez took strike three. Casas struck out swinging to end the inning. John Schreiber came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Baez grounded out to third to start. Carpenter was retired on a dribbler in front of the plate before Torkelson struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Sox got another run in the top of the seventh with Alex Lange now on the mound. Wong grounded out to second before Refsnyder walked. Devers got a base hit to right to move Refsnyder to third and Rob scored on the sac fly by Turner to increase the lead. Verdugo grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Sox ahead 3-1.
Josh Winckowski came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Maton struck out swinging to start. Cabrera grounded out to third and Schoop popped up to second to end the inning.
Trey Wingenter was brought in to pitch the top of the eighth and Duvall grounded out to second to start. Arroyo grounded out to second and Hernandez struck out swinging to end the inning. Chris Martin ran into trouble in the bottom of the eighth as Zack McKinstry pinch hit for Haase. McKinstry lined out to center to start but Baddoo singled to left to start. Greene singled to center before both runners moved over on the Baez grounder to first. Carpenter grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox wrapped up the scoring in the top of the ninth with Jake Rogers in for Carpenter and Chasen Shreve now on the mound. Casas cracked his second home run of the season but Wong struck out swinging. Refsnyder grounded out to second but Devers got plunked. Turner struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-1.
Kenley Jansen came in to close out the bottom of the ninth and things went south when Duvall bent his wrist backward diving for a bloop single for Torkelson. Raimel Tapia came in for Duvall as Maton struck out swinging. Cabrera doubled to left with Ryan Kreidler pinch running for Miguel. Schoop walked to load the bases but McKinstry popped up to left. Jansen blew away Baddoo to end the game, the Sox had won it 4-1.
Hero of the Night is Triston Casas. He tied the game in the second inning and hit a home run to double the offensive output of the Tigers by himself.
The Good:
Rob Refsnyder was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, an rbi and a run scored.
Kutter Crawford got the win by tossing 5 innings of 1 run ball. He allowed 5 hits and struck out 6.
John Schreiber pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Josh Winckowski tossed a scoreless seventh inning.
Chris Martin pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Kenley Jansen earned his second save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Rafael Devers was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Justin Turner was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked and drove in a run.
Alex Verdugo was just 1 for 4.
Adam Duvall was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
Kike Hernandez was 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts but walked twice and scored a run.
Connor Wong was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Honorable Mention:
Raimel Tapia played center in the bottom of the ninth.
Final Thoughts:
Its good the Sox won but losing Duvall is not what they need, especially with them being so lefty hitting. The bottom of the order is a black hole with Trevor Story out and the loss of Duvall would be even worse. Still, the positive signs were Crawford and the bullpen pitched well, Casas stepped up big and the Sox are back to over .500. Knock on wood but the trio of Jansen, Martin and Winckowski have allowed a combined one run so far this season. If only Cora would let his starters go 6-7, he'd save a lot of wear and tear on these guys moving forward. Still, a win is a win even if its a costly one such as this. If Duvall is out for a long period of time we may see Jarren Duran or Bobby Dalbec sooner rather than later. The Sox now travel to Tampa to take on the undefeated 9-0 Rays tomorrow evening. Nick Pivetta (0-1, 1.80 ERA) goes for the Sox against old pal Jalen "Twin Beeks" of the Rays. The game begins at 6:40 PM at Tropicana Field.
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