The Red Sox weren't dead in Game 2 of the ALCS versus the Tigers, but it was difficult to find a pulse during the first five innings Sunday night.
For the second consecutive game, a Detroit starting pitcher was completely shutting down the powerful Boston lineup. Max Scherzer hadn't allowed a hit for five innings and racked up nine strikeouts. With one out in the sixth, Shane Victorino finally broke through with a single. Dustin Pedroia drove him in with a double to give the Red Sox their first run of the ALCS after 14 straight scoreless innings.
Yet Boston was behind, 5-1, as the Tigers' offense exploded for four runs off Clay Buchholz in the top of the sixth. Miguel Cabrera hit a solo home run, Victor Martinez added a RBI double and Alex Avila followed up with a two-run homer. Though the Red Sox finally put a run on the board against Tigers pitching, were they already too far behind to win this ballgame?
Enter David Ortiz, human defibrilator.
Scherzer left the game after the seventh inning, having thrown 108 pitches. He allowed one run and two hits with 13 strikeouts. Detroit's 5-1 lead was in the hands of its bullpen, a scary proposition for this team through most of the season. Jose Veras was the first reliever in for the Tigers. After getting Stephen Drew to ground out, he gave up a double to Will Middlebrooks. Left-hander Drew Smyly then came in to face Jacoby Ellsbury and walked him. Al Alburquerque took over for Smyly. He struck out Shane Victorino, but then allowed a Dustin Pedroia single to load the bases.
Out came Alburquerque, in came Joaquin Benoit. Could the Tigers' closer get a four-out save? Well — if he had, this recap would probably already be finished.
On his first pitch, Benoit hung a changeup out over the plate. Ortiz obliged by crushing it over the right-field wall (taking Torii Hunter into the Boston bullpen with it) for a grand slam that tied the score at 5-5. With one swing, the patient was revived. The Red Sox and the Fenway Park crowd were jolted back to life. We officially had a series.
Sure, the Tigers still had a chance to take the lead back after Benoit struck out Mike Napoli to end the eighth. But you've seen these movies before. Once the guy who's taken his opponent's best shot, gets beaten down but gets back up again to land a decisive blow, the climactic battle usually ends. Don Kelly, Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter went down in order for Detroit in the ninth inning. Benoit was out, despite only pitching to two batters.
Rick Porcello came on, presumably to pitch long relief if the game went to extra innings. But Jonny Gomes beat out an infield single and advanced to second when first baseman Prince Fielder didn't get in front of the bouncing throw from shortstop Jose Iglesias. A wild pitch moved Gomes to third. Then Jarrod Saltalamacchia flicked a low-and-inside pitch to left field for a single, scoring Gomes and giving the Red Sox a walkoff win. The ALCS is now tied at 1-1 and it now appears we're in for the toe-to-toe battle anticipated beforehand.
Game 3 of the series is Tuesday afternoon at Comerica Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET on FOX. John Lackey gets the start for the Red Sox, while Justin Verlander takes the mound for the Tigers.
