Detroit Tigers Improbable Sweep of the Boston Red Sox
The Detroit Tigers swept the Boston Red Sox after a 4-3 win on Wednesday afternoon.
The Detroit Tigers just capped off the best series they have played all year long.
After winning the first two games in Boston, rookie sensation Michael Fulmer was tasked with shutting down the tough lineup and sweeping the Red Sox for the first time this season.
Dustin Pedroia got to Fulmer early with his solo shot in the bottom of the first inning. The Tigers clawed back and took the lead in the third inning courtesy of a Victor Martinez single to left field off of lefty starter Eduardo Rodriguez. Three innings later, James McCann added an insurance run with a bomb over the monster in left field.
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Xander Bogaerts cut the lead in half with a solo blast of his own in the seventh, and the next inning, Mookie Betts tripled in Travis Shaw to tie the game. Fulmer’s day was finished after 7.2 innings of three-run ball. Bruce Rondon then struck out Pedroia with the go-ahead run just 90 feet away.
In the top of the ninth, newly acquired closer Brad Ziegler came on to face the Tigers’ top of the lineup in Ian Kinsler, Jose Iglesias, and Miguel Cabrera. He made quick work of the first two but then surrendered a go-ahead homer to The Greatest Hitter on the Planet. 4-3, Tigers lead.
Since Francisco Rodriguez recorded saves in the first two games of the series and earned himself a day off, Brad Ausmus turned to Justin Wilson in the bottom of the ninth in hopes of shutting down Bogaerts, David Ortiz, and Jackie Bradley Jr. He did just that, and the Tigers concluded the road trip with an improbable sweep against one of the best teams in the American League.
It was a huge win, too, especially since the Tigers got help from other teams ahead of them in the playoff race. The Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, and (obviously) the Red Sox lost. Detroit currently sit 4.5 games out of the division, and 2.5 back from the second wild card spot.
The back end of the bullpen is finally reliable and was put on display in the showdown at Fenway Park as all three games were won by a total differential of four runs. Shane Greene‘s arrival to the ‘pen and the acquisitions of Wilson and Rodriguez have been crucial the Tigers’ success this season.
The three-game winning streak they’re currently riding brings them to six games over the .500 mark (54-48). The last time they were this many games over .500 came on May 29, 2015.
After Thursday’s day off, the Houston Astros come to town to play a three-game set. Since the beginning of June, the Astros are 30-17 and in the thick of a playoff race just like the Tigers.
It looks like the Tigers could be getting hot at the perfect time as three key players are set to come off the disabled list within the next week or two.
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With roughly two months of regular season baseball left, essentially every game is important right now for the Tigers. A strong showing in Boston could have better positioned themselves into contention for a postseason berth, and they did just that.