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DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers insisted they were not concerned about their worst skid of the year a few hours before playing the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox in a rematch of the AL championship series. Buccaneers #25 Jersey . Detroit later showed it still has what it takes to win with strong pitching, big hits and usually sound defence. Ian Kinsler and Torii Hunter hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning and Victor Martinez cleared the fences in the eighth, helping Detroit beat Boston 6-2 and end a season-high five-game losing streak Friday. "This was a good night for everyone," Drew Smyly said after pitching six strong innings. Detroit had lost 13 of 17 games, including the previous four, since sweeping the Red Sox on the road a few weeks ago. "Ive spoken to players a couple times over this stretch," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Theres no reason to throw a fit unless its a lack of effort or concentration. This stretch has not been caused by a lack of concentration or effort." Smyly (3-4) snapped a skid of his own. He was 0-2 in his last two starts, giving up a total of nine runs over nine innings, and was 0-3 in his previous six outings. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits over six innings and struck out four, walking only one against the Red Sox. "He was locating his pitches and keeping us off balance," Boston centre fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. said after going 0 for 3 with three strikeouts. "He had command on both sides of the plate." Rubby De La Rosa, meanwhile, paid a steep price for letting some pitches sail too high. De La Rosa (1-1) gave up four runs, nine hits and two walks. He had five strikeouts over 5 2-3 innings. In his first start of the season, he threw seven scoreless innings against Tampa Bay last week. "I feel almost 100 per cent like last time," De La Rosa said. "I just missed more pitches." Boston has lost four straight after winning seven in a row. The Red Sox are averaging fewer than three runs during the losing streak. "Offensively, were scuffling," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Weve had a rough go with runners in scoring position." The Red Sox hope to end a trend this weekend. In their last seven series, they been swept four times and have won each game in the other three matchups. "We became so accustomed to being consistent," Farrell said. "The last two and a half weeks have been difficult." Kinsler and Hunter cleared the fences during a three-pitch sequence in the fifth, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead. "They squared (De La Rosa) up when he was up in the strike zone," Farrell said. The Red Sox pulled within two runs in the sixth when Dustin Pedroia reached on Romines throwing error, advanced to third on David Ortizs single through the right side against a shifted infield and scored on Jonny Gomes sacrifice fly. Detroits Ian Krol and Joba Chamberlain each threw an inning of scoreless relief and Joe Nathan pitched the ninth in a non-save situation. NOTES: Tigers C Alex Avila is expected to miss Saturdays game after being hit in the head by Ortizs backswing in the eighth inning, and being replaced by Bryan Holaday. "Hes in a good humour, but he got stung pretty good," Ausmus said. ... Red Sox hitting coach Greg Colbrunn is expected to stay hospitalized in Cleveland for at least another week after he had bleeding in the area between his brain and the thin tissues covering it. Tim Hyers, Bostons minor league hitting co-ordinator, is filling in for Colbrunn while hes away from the team indefinitely. ... Tigers SS Eugenio Suarez was held out of the lineup to rest his sore left knee and Ausmus said he is "hour to hour," when asked for timetable on his return. ... The Tigers will send RHP Max Scherzer (6-2) to the mound against Red Sox LHP Jon Lester (6-6) on Saturday in a nationally televised game. ... Boston RHP Clay Buchholz (left knee) is scheduled to throw a simulated game Saturday in Detroit, where Mike Napoli, who is on the DL with a sprained left finger, is expected to hit against him. Buccaneers #37 Jersey . With the teams skating 4-on-4 and the Rangers taking advantage of a delayed penalty, Brassard took a cross-zone feed from defenceman Marc Staal and fired a shot past Evgeni Nabokov to give his team a 2-1 lead. Buccaneers #9 Jersey . Samuel Etoo scored for his fourth different team in Europes top club competition on a night of standout individual performances. However, it was a night to forget for Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand, whose failed clearance led to Etoos opening goal in Chelseas 3-0 win, which put Jose Mourinhos side atop Group E.PHILADELPHIA -- If this was Roy Halladays last start in red pinstripes, he went out a winner. Chase Utley hit a three-run homer and drove in four, Halladay tossed six effective innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Tuesday night. Halladay (4-4) allowed one run and four hits in his fifth start after returning from right shoulder surgery. The two-time Cy Young Award winner didnt top 88 mph and relied on guile to get outs. Halladay will be a free agent after the season and his last two starts will be on the road, so he may not pitch in Philadelphia for the Phillies again. "Unfortunately, thats out of my control," Halladay said. "I honestly didnt think about it. I dont look that far ahead in the schedule." The top three hitters in Philadelphias lineup -- Cesar Hernandez, Jimmy Rollins and Utley -- were 8 for 12 with four RBIs and six runs. Jonathan Papelbon allowed an RBI single to Giancarlo Stanton before finishing for his 28th save in 35 chances. Marlins starter Brian Flynn (0-2) gave up six runs and 11 hits in six innings. Juan Pierre, pinch-hitting for Flynn in the seventh, hit a double to right for his 2,215th career hit, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio for 175th place on the all-time list, according to STATS. "I never set out to beat any of those guys," Pierre said. "I know all about Joe DiMaggio and what he meant to the game. Just to be mentioned with him is pretty cool." The going-nowhere Phillies improved to 18-13 since interim manager Ryne Sandberg replaced Charlie Manuel on Aug. 16. They have won seven straight over the last-place Marlins. Utley hit an RBI single in the first and Carlos Ruiz followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead. Utley connected off Flynn in the fifth, driving one off the facing of the second deck in right field for his second three-run shot in two games. He has eight RBIs in the last two nights. Halladay improved to 114-0 when hes given a four-run lead, the longest streak since Pedro Martinez retireed at 114-0 in similar situations. Buccaneers #23 Jersey. "Doc battled for six innings, he gutted it out," Sandberg said. "He made pitches when he had to and used his defence." Sandberg added that hes optimistic Halladay will improve his velocity after an off-season of rest and workouts. Halladay is finishing his fourth season with the Phillies. He was 40-16 in his first two years, pitched a perfect game in May 2010, threw a no-hitter in his first post-season start later that year and was the NL Cy Young Award winner. He helped the Phillies finish with the best record in the majors both years. "Hopefully Ill have a chance to pitch again," he said. The Marlins got two runs off B.J. Rosenberg in the eighth. Justin Ruggiano doubled one in and scored on Adeiny Hechavarrias single. "I liked the way we battled back," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "We had the guys we wanted up there at the end. We gave ourselves a chance." The Phillies are 71-80 with 11 games remaining in a season that was over a long time ago. Last year, they were 77-74 with 11 games left and only trailed St. Louis for the second wild-card spot by three games. They went 4-7 the rest of the way, finished 81-81 and snapped a string of five straight NL East titles. NOTES: Utleys homer was his 217th, tying him with Cy Williams for seventh on the clubs all-time list. ... The Phillies are 11-4 vs. the Marlins this season. ... Domonic Brown won the Mike Schmidt Award for Most Valuable Player, given annually by the Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Cliff Lee won the Steve Carlton Award for Most Valuable Pitcher. Kevin Frandsen won the Tug McGraw Award for True Professionalism. Manuel won the Dallas Green Award for Special Achievement. Manuel won his 1,000th career game as manager days before he was fired. ... Kyle Kendrick was scratched from Wednesdays start because of right shoulder soreness. Zach Miner (0-1, 3.71) will take his place against Miamis Nathan Eovaldi (3-6, 3.80). ' ' ' |
