Boston third baseman Rafael Devers (11) talks with shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) during a break in a game at Fenway Park earlier this season. Both players hit homeruns to lead the Sox to a win on Friday night in Detroit. Photo courtesy of Delaney Gardner
Xander Bogaerts hit a late inning three run homerun on Friday night to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 9-6 win over the Detroit Tigers backing a solid start from Eduardo Rodriguez on a long night at Comerica Park.
Bogaerts would open the scoring with an RBI groundout in the top of the first to make it 1-0 Boston. Rafael Devers continued swinging his hot bat when he hammered his 16th homer of the season to left field in the top of the third. The two run long ball made it 3-0. Jeimer Candelario cut into the lead with an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth. The rains came at the end of the fifth inning causing a lengthy delay. Once play resumed in the top of the sixth at 10:50 p.m., Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled in Christian Vazquez, Sandy Leon reached on an error to score Michael Chavis, and Mookie Betts added a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 6-1. Rodriguez didn’t return after the delay after throwing 76 pitches in five innings. Candelario singled in another run with one out in the bottom of the sixth off Marcus Walden for the Tigers second run of the night. The next batter was Harold Castro who lined one to center with two men in scoring position. The ball was dropped by Bradley Jr. allowing two runs to score to get Detroit (28-55) within a pair at 6-4. Ryan Brasier then came on for Walden to pitch. John Hicks hit a hard single to left with two outs, and JD Martinez made a solid throw to the plate but Castro beat the tag at home by Leon to make it a one run game. Brasier was able to record a strikeout though to leave the tying run Hicks at second base.
In the eighth, Betts hit a one out single and Devers then drew a walk. Bogaerts followed with what turned out to be the game winner, a three run homer to left. It was the 17th homerun of the season for the All Star shortstop. Hicks capped off the scoring on the night with a solo homer to left center in the ninth.
Rodriguez (9-4) allowed just one run on four hits, with one walk and four strikeouts. Brasier and Matt Barnes combined for 2.2 innings of scoreless relief out of the bullpen. Betts went 3-4 at the plate scoring three runs. Bogaerts had four RBI. Vazquez, Chavis, and Bradley Jr. had two hits each. Hicks, Candelario, and Brandon Dixon had two hits each for Detroit. Ryan Carpenter (1-5) took the loss on the mound allowing three runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings.
The Red Sox are now 47-41. Game two of the weekend series is Saturday at 4:10 p.m. A pair of right handers will take the hill, as Boston starts Rick Porcello and Detroit counters with Jordan Zimmerman.
