After a four hour rain delay at Comerica park on Saturday, the Boston Red Sox jumped out to a 7-0 lead in four innings off Jordan Zimmermann before the Tigers’ offense woke up, and then held on for a 10-6 victory. The Tigers rallied for a pair of runs in the fourth and four more in the sixth inning, but it was too little, too late for Detroit.
Jeimer Candelario hit a pair of home runs for the Tigers, one off the right field foul pole and another over the low fence down the right field line. Christin Stewart and Harold Castro added three hits apiece, and Miguel Cabrera chipped in a pair of singles for the losing side. The two teams totaled 31 hits in the game, 17 for Boston and 14 for Detroit.
The Candy Crush saga continues. @jeimer24C | #MotorOn pic.twitter.com/BETguyFJ8C
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 7, 2019
Zimmermann gave up a career high 13 hits in just 3 1⁄3 innings while Rick Porcello gave up six runs on nine hits in 5 2⁄3 innings against his former team. Each team used six pitchers in the game, with the Boston bullpen shutting down the Tigers for the final 5 2⁄3 frames.
The Tigers drew to within a run in the sixth inning. After Candelario’s second home run of the game, Singles by Castro, Gordon Beckham, and Bobby Wilson plated two runs. Victor Reyes tripled to drive in Wilson to make it 7- 6, but he was stranded when Nick Castellanos struck out to end the inning. The four run inning meant that Porcello had given up at least five earned runs in his last three starts.
Clawed our way back into this one.#MotorOn pic.twitter.com/PPbIDfjWp4
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 7, 2019
The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but failed to score.
Andrew Benintendi went 4-for-6 for the Red Sox, including a pair of singles, a pop fly double that Stewart simply did not see in the twilight, and a triple. Benintendi and Mookie Betts each finished a home run shy of the cycle. Marco Hernandez added three hits for Boston.
The victory leaves the Red Sox at 48-41 for the season, in third place, 10 games behind the first place New York Yankees, and two games behind the Cleveland Indians for the second and final wild card spot. The Tigers fall to 28-56 for the season, exactly twice as many losses as wins for the year. They are 26 games behind the first place Minnesota Twins. The loss was the Tigers’ 23rd defeat in their last 26 home games.
The game drew the third largest crowd of the season for the Tigers. In a gesture of sympathy, the Tigers announced that each of the fans remaining after the four hour rain delay would receive a free ticket to a future game this season.
Every person who bought a ticket to tonight's game will receive one free ticket to another game this year, according to the Tigers.
— anthony fenech (@anthonyfenech) July 7, 2019
The two teams play the final game before the All-Star break on Sunday, with former Tiger David Price on the mound for the Red Sox and Gregory Soto pitching for Detroit. Game time is 1:10 pm. EDT.