Adam Duvall smashed a go-ahead, three-run homer during a four-run sixth inning and the Boston Red Sox spoiled Detroit's home opener with a 6-3 victory on Thursday afternoon.
Rafael Devers had a solo homer and RBI double for the Red Sox, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Chris Sale (1-0) gave up three runs and four hits in five innings while striking out seven. The win is his first in the regular season since September 2021. Kenley Jansen got the last three outs for his first save.
Jake Rogers hit a two-run homer and Miguel Cabrera had an RBI single for Detroit. Spencer Turnbull (0-2) was charged with five runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Sale walked the first two batters he faced, then struck out the next three.
However, he didn't escape trouble after issuing a one-out walk to Jonathan Schoop in the second. Rogers followed with his second homer this season.
Boston got on the board in the third. Christian Arroyo walked, advanced to third on Reese McGuire's single and scored on Enrique Hernandez's fielder's choice grounder.
The Tigers made it 3-1 in the bottom of the inning. Spencer Torkelson, Eric Haase and Cabrera hit consecutive two-out singles.
Devers led off the fourth with an opposite-field blast, his second homer this season.
Alex Verdugo got Boston's big sixth going with a one-out single and scored on Devers' double. After a groundout, Turnbull walked Masataka Yoshida. Turnbull was removed in favor of Jose Cisnero, who promptly gave up Duvall's third homer of the season on a 2-2 pitch.
Detroit threatened in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Kerry Carpenter hit a one-out double off Ryan Brasier and Nick Maton drew a two-out walk. Brasier got out of the jam by including Rogers to fly out.
Boston also came up empty in the top of the ninth. Yoshida led off with a double and Duvall walked. Both runners moved up on a long fly ball. Yoshida was thrown out at home on Arroyo's fielder's choice grounder.
--Field Level Media
Boston | Detroit | |
Chris Sale | Player | Spencer Turnbull |
Win | W/L | Loss |
5.0 | IP | 5.2 |
7 | Strikeouts | 1 |
4 | Hits | 5 |
5.40 | ERA | 7.94 |
Boston | Detroit | |
Masataka Yoshida | Player | Kerry Carpenter |
2 | Hits | 1 |
0 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
3 | TB | 2 |
.667 | Avg | 1.000 |