Tigers 4 - 6 Red Sox
Final
  for this game

Red Sox use power swings to beat Tigers

May 31, 2012 - 5:56 AM

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Boston, MA (Sports Network) - David Ortiz and Will Middlebrooks each hit a two-run homer as Boston upended Detroit, 6-4, in the third portion of a four-game series from Fenway Park.

Kevin Youkilis added a solo shot with two runs scored, while Adrian Gonzalez doubled twice, drove in a run and scored once for the Red Sox, who have won three in a row and eight of their last 11.

Matt Albers (1-0) recorded the final out of the seventh for the win. Alfredo Aceves turned in a scoreless ninth for his 13th save.

"Aceves is like our pitching [Dustin] Pedroia," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. "You just wind him up. He was throwing harder tonight than he has in any of the other four days."

Miguel Cabrera finished 4-for-5 with three doubles and drove in a run for the Tigers, who have lost six of nine. Delmon Young and Prince Fielder added RBI in defeat.

Octavio Dotel (1-2), who retired two batters in the seventh, was charged with the deciding run.

"Dotel struck out the first two, then you had a walk and then they got a big hit," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "You have to give them credit."

Cabrera doubled home Gerald Laird in the top of the seventh to tie the game, 4-4, but Boston came back in the home half.

Daniel Nava walked with two down against Dotel and after Mike Aviles singled, Phil Coke entered the game only to surrender the go-ahead ground-rule double from Gonzalez which bounced over the short wall in right.

Youkilis greeted Joaquin Benoit with a leadoff shot in the eighth, and Aceves finished off the victory with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Detroit picked up a first-inning run on a bases-loaded fielder's choice grounder from Young.

It was 3-0 in the third. Quintin Berry led off with a triple and scored on a Danny Worth fly to center. Cabrera doubled, moved up on a wild pitch and came in on a Fielder groundout.

In the home fourth, Gonzalez reached on a ground-rule double and Ortiz launched a two-run blast to dead center. Youkilis then singled and Middlebrooks topped the Green Monster to give the Sox a 4-3 edge.

Game Notes

Boston starter Jon Lester allowed 10 hits and four runs with seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings, while counterpart Drew Smyly lasted six frames, charged with eight hits and four runs...The season series is knotted at three wins apiece, but the Red Sox have won eight of the last 12 meetings with the Tigers since the start of last year...Prior to the game, the Tigers announced that pitcher Doug Fister was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a rib strain which put him on the DL for most of April...Also, Detroit added catcher Omir Santos to the roster after demoting infielder Ryan Raburn following Tuesday's loss.






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