Field Level Media
Aug 5, 2021
Robbie Grossman's leadoff home run set the tone and Detroit starter Tarik Skubal tossed five scoreless innings to help the host Tigers top the Boston Red Sox 8-1 in the rubber match of a three-game series on Thursday afternoon.
Victor Reyes (2-for-4) totaled three RBIs and Jonathan Schoop (2-for-5) drove in two for Detroit, which pounded out 13 hits to bounce back from a 4-1 loss Wednesday following its 4-2 series opening victory. Skubal (7-10) struck out four while allowing just five hits and walking one.
Detroit has won six of its last nine games and is 13-7 since the All-Star break.
Alex Verdugo (2-for-3) drove in the lone run in Boston's nine-hit day. Red Sox starter Martin Perez (7-8) took the loss after lasting only 1 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits while striking out two batters.
Boston has dropped seven of its last nine and has not won a series since taking three of four against the rival New York Yankees on July 22-25.
Grossman's 17th homer of the season on Perez's third pitch of the game put Detroit ahead 1-0.
Reyes tripled to open the home second inning and scored on Zack Short's sacrifice fly. Schoop's bases-loaded groundout to the mound made it 3-0 later in the inning.
Jeimer Candelario's RBI double and Reyes' two-run triple doubled the Tigers' lead in the fifth. Schoop added an RBI single in the sixth and Reyes plated another run for Detroit with a 5-4 force out in the seventh.
Verdugo's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the eighth put Boston on the board.
The Red Sox left 10 runners on base and finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
--Field Level Media