• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Boston's Ortiz comes through in pinch to open DH

May 29, 2011 - 10:32 PM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - David Ortiz's pinch-hit home run during the ninth inning lifted the Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers in the first tilt of a double-header that will finish out a four-game set.

Ortiz improved his hitting record against Detroit's closer Jose Valverde (2-2), to 2-for-2 with two home runs and gave the Red Sox their fifth straight victory.

"I know he has a good fastball and a good splitter," Ortiz said of Valverde. "It's not like you have a lot of options when you come off the bench to pinch- hit. You just have to look for a good pitch and he gave it to me."

Mike Cameron and Dustin Pedroia each had solo shots, while Matt Albers (1-2) got the win with hitless seventh and eighth innings. Jonathan Papelbon recorded his 10th save of the season, retiring all three batters in the ninth.

Andy Dirks and Brennan Boesch collected home runs for Detroit, which has dropped eight of its last 11.

"We played a team who's playing good ball right now, but we're a good ballclub too," Dirks said. "We're getting together slowly and that's how baseball goes. It goes in swings and we have keep battling and fighting to get some wins."

The double-dip was made necessary when Saturday's contest was postponed by rain. For the Tigers, it marked the fourth time in nine scheduled home tilts that a game had been postponed.

Trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Boesch lifted the ball over the right field fence to make it a one-run game. Miguel Cabrera then doubled down the third base line and touched home on Jhonny Peralta's bloop single into center to knot the score at three.

David Purcey, who was acquired from the A's on Friday, made his first appearance in the Tigers uniform and tossed a 1-2-3 seventh.

But after Joaquin Benoit pitched a scoreless eighth, Valverde served Ortiz's home run that sailed into the deep right-center bleachers.

Boston scored a run in each of the first three innings. Adrian Gonzalez's sacrifice fly plated Jacoby Ellsbury for the opening score in the first, Cameron homered in the second and Pedroia drove a shot over the left field fence in the third.

Dirks' second career home run that landed in the right field seats put the Tigers on the board in the fourth.

One of Detroit's top prospects, Andrew Oliver, finished with a quality start, but got the no decision. He went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits with three strikeouts.

Oliver's Boston counterpart, Clay Buchholz, also went six innings and allowed three runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

Game Notes

The Red Sox placed reliever Franklin Morales on the 15-day disabled list with a left forearm strain before the game, retroactive to May 26. To fill the roster spot, the Red Sox recalled pitcher Michael Bowden from Triple-A Pawtucket...Buchholz pushed his unbeaten streak to seven starts...Boston has won seven straight against the Tigers and 18 of the last 23.