Brandon Dixon had three hits, including a three-run double, and Spencer Turnbull walked a tightrope over five innings to earn his first major league win as the visiting Detroit Tigers wrapped up a doubleheader sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a 4-2 win Tuesday night.
Fresh off a 7-4 victory in Game 1, the Tigers won for the fourth time in five games since a five-game losing streak. Turnbull (1-2) went five scoreless innings, working around three hits, four walks and two hit batters.
The Red Sox got on the board on a Xander Bogaerts RBI single in the seventh, and rookie Michael Chavis blasted a pitch over the Green Monster in left for his first career home run to lead off the eighth and make it 3-2.
An out later, Christian Vazquez flew out to the warning track in right, but the Tigers got out of the inning and added an insurance run on a John Hicks double in the top of the ninth.
Shane Greene pitched around a single in the bottom of the ninth for his 11th save.
Boston, which had entered the day on a three-game winning streak, left 13 men on base for the game and went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
While his offense floundered, Red Sox starter Hector Velazquez held the Tigers scoreless over the first three innings. But Detroit broke through in the fourth.
Jeimer Candelario led off with a single, and Miguel Cabrera singled an out later. Niko Goodrum then walked to load the bases and knock out Velazquez, who was replaced by Marcus Walden. Dixon greeted Walden with a double down the line in left to clear the bags, though he was thrown out at third on the play.
Velazquez (0-2) gave up three runs on three hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out five, including whiffing the side in order in the second.
Prospects Darwinzon Hernandez and Travis Lakins each made their major league debut in relief for the Red Sox. Hernandez struck out four in 2 1/3 scoreless innings, and Lakins allowed a run on four hits and fanned two in 2 2/3 innings.
--Field Level Media
Detroit | Boston | |
Spencer Turnbull | Player | Hector Velazquez |
Win | W/L | Loss |
5.0 | IP | 3.1 |
2 | Strikeouts | 5 |
3 | Hits | 3 |
0.00 | ERA | 8.10 |
Detroit | Boston | |
Brandon Dixon | Player | Andrew Benintendi |
3 | Hits | 3 |
3 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
5 | TB | 3 |
.750 | Avg | .750 |