Detroit @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 12, 2013 ) Detroit 1, Boston 0

The two highest-scoring teams in the majors combined for one run in the opener of the American League Championship Series and the Detroit Tigers look to make it consecutive victories when they visit the Boston Red Sox in Sunday’s Game 2. Detroit’s Jhonny Peralta drove in the lone run on a night in which Boston’s only hit was Daniel Nava’s one-out single in the ninth. The Red Sox struck out 17 times to match a postseason record for a nine-inning game.

Boston, which led the majors with 853 runs in the regular season, was blanked at home in the postseason for the first time since a Game 5 loss to the Chicago Cubs in the 1918 World Series. The task doesn’t get easier in Game 2 when the Red Sox face 21-game winner Max Scherzer. “A guy that’s a potential Cy Young winner,” Nava said after Saturday’s game. “Of course, it doesn’t get any easier.” Peralta went 3-for-4 and was serenaded by the Boston fans due to his 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. “I don’t try to pay attention about what the fans are doing or whatever,” Peralta said. “I try to do my job.”

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, Fox

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Max Scherzer (21-3, 2.90 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (12-1, 1.74)

Scherzer suffered one of his three defeats at Fenway Park while splitting two starts against Boston. He won two games in the AL Division Series against Oakland – the second coming in relief – and held right-handed hitters to a .165 average in the regular season. Scherzer struck out 10 or more batters nine times, including 11 against the Athletics in his ALDS start.

Buchholz went 6-1 with a 1.99 ERA in nine home starts this season. He didn’t face Detroit during an injury interrupted campaign and has a 2-1 record and 3.58 ERA in eight career starts against the Tigers. Buchholz received a no-decision in his ALDS start against Tampa Bay, allowing three runs and seven hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox DH David Ortiz is 7-for-15 with three homers and six RBIs against Scherzer and CF Jacoby Ellsbury is 5-for-9 with five RBIs.

2. Peralta has seven RBIs in 17 career at-bats against Buchholz, while RF Torii Hunter is 3-for-21.

3. Detroit was 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position in the opener; Boston was 0-for-6.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 2, Tigers 1