Swamigp’s Weblog

Tim Wakefield gave the Boston Red Sox another superb pitching performance, this time baffling the Tigers over 8 innings in a 5-0 win. David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez hit back-to-back homers in the 7th inning to give Wake support. Manny’s crushed bomb off Detroit reliever Freddy Dolsi was the 497th in his Hall of Fame career. Boston got out of the gate early, going up 3-0 off Tigers starter Nate Robinson in the 2nd inning on an rbi single and double by J.D. Drew and Kevin Cash, respectively, as well as a ground-out by Coco Crisp to drive in the third run. Wakefield coasted through his 8 innings of work, allowing only 2 hits while striking out six and walking none. David Ortiz continued to up his average to .226 with his 7th homer of the year. Manny’s was also his 7th on the season, one of his 3 hits on the night. Cash also got three hits in the game, in the place of Jason Varitek, to help Boston to their 5th win in a row and 7th of eight.

The Tigers lost their 5th in a row, their second consecutive to Boston to start the 4 game set. Their record drops to 14-20 as their “most powerful lineup…on paper” was non-existent against another lights out outing by a Red Sox starter.