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Tigers-Red Sox Preview

Aug 11, 2009 - 4:34 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Detroit (59-51) at Boston (62-48), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Detroit Tigers might be exactly who the Boston Red Sox want to face while trying to bounce back from their longest losing streak of the season.

After snapping their six-game skid in the series opener, the Red Sox look to remain perfect this season against the Tigers on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

After losing the final six - including four at Yankee Stadium - on a 3-6 homestand, Boston's lineup came to life in a 6-5 win over Detroit on Monday. The Red Sox (63-48) had 12 hits and tripled their run total from the previous three games in New York to win their fifth straight over the Tigers.

"We desperately needed to find a way to win a game," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said, "and we did."

Nick Green homered and hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and Dustin Pedroia added a two-run shot for the Red Sox, who have outscored the AL Central-leading Tigers 27-14 in four meetings this season. Jason Bay also homered for Boston, which blew an early four-run lead before scoring in the eighth.

The Red Sox - 9-14 since the All-Star Break - are 5 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees, but have a one-half game lead over Texas in the wild-card standings.

"Our biggest thing was - we're back home, just play the rest of the season as hard as we can and whatever happens happens. But were going to remain positive," Pedroia said. "There's a lot of games left."

J.D. Drew added two hits and is 5 for 12 against the Tigers (59-52) this season.

Four days after allowing Alex Rodriguez's two-run, game-winning homer in the 15th inning of a 2-0 loss to the Yankees in his major league debut, Junichi Tazawa (0-1, 10.80 ERA) gets the start while replacing John Smoltz in Boston's beleaguered rotation.

The 23-year-old right-hander allowed four hits and struck out two in 1 2-3 innings against the Yankees. Tazawa went 9-7 with a 2.55 ERA in 20 minor league starts this season.

"He didn't throw enough where I think (a relief stint) will affect him," Francona told the Red Sox's official Web site of his decision to start Tazawa. "If he'd have thrown more, we wouldn't have done this."

Detroit counters with 20-year-old rookie Rick Porcello (10-7, 4.30), who joined Dave Rozema as the only pitchers in franchise history with double-digit wins at the age of 20 or younger after allowing two runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-3 victory over Baltimore on Thursday.

Though Porcello gave up three runs in 4 1-3 innings to take the loss as the Tigers fell 5-1 to Boston on June 2, the right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his last two starts overall.

"I'm definitely getting my confidence back," said Porcello, who was 3-4 with a 5.91 ERA in nine June and July starts. "I'm throwing my breaking pitch for strikes to get guys off my fastball."

Placido Polanco and Magglio Ordonez each had three hits with an RBI on Monday for AL Central-leading Detroit, which has lost two of three after winning three in a row.

Polanco is batting .415 with seven RBIs and 10 runs scored during an 11-game hitting streak.