Jarren Duran blasted a go-ahead three-run homer, Payton Tolle recorded his first major league win and the visiting Boston Red Sox held off the Detroit Tigers, 5-4, on Monday.
Duran’s homer, one of his three hits, highlighted a five-run seventh. Marcelo Mayer added two hits and drove in a run.
Tolle (1-1) gave up two unearned runs and just one hit in seven innings while striking out eight. He walked one batter in an efficient 83-pitch effort. Aroldis Chapman notched his seventh save.
Dillon Dingler produced a two-run double for Detroit, one of only three Tiger hits.
The game was delayed 28 minutes during the eighth inning due to rain.
Tigers southpaw ace Tarik Skubal was scheduled to start the opener of the three-game series. However, the club announced in the afternoon that Skubal will require surgery for loose bodies in his pitching elbow.
Tyler Horton was used as an opener for the second straight night and held Boston scoreless in the first inning. Ty Madden, called up from Triple-A Toledo, tossed five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.
Detroit broke through the logjam without a hit in the bottom of the sixth. Colt Keith was hit by a pitch and Jahmai Jones drew a one-out walk. Catcher Carlos Narvaez’s errant pickoff throw allowed both runners to move up a base.
Matt Vierling’s broken bat bouncer to third was fielded by Andruw Monasterio, who made a throwing error trying to cut down Keith at home plate. That allowed both runners to score, giving Detroit a 2-0 advantage.
That changed when Ricky Vanasco (0-1) relieved Madden to start the seventh. Narvaez drew a leadoff walk and Monasterio singled. Duran then clubbed a fastball over the left field wall to give Boston a 3-2 lead.
Masataka Yoshida hit a one-out double and scored on Wilyer Abreu’s single off Enmanuel De Jesus. Ceddanne Rafaela and Mayer followed with singles, with the latter knocking in Abreu.
Detroit pulled within a run at 5-4 in the eighth. Keith led off with a single and Vierling drew a two-out walk. Dingler then ripped a double to left, bringing home both runners.
Making only his second appearance of the season, Vanasco allowed four earned runs and three hits and one walk in 2/3 of an inning.
