Sahx and Tigres split a 4 game set

Teams split 4 game series.  

GM 1: 88 Boston wins 10-3

WP: Mike Smithson (2-0)

LP: Dan Petry (2-2)

SV: Lee Smith (10)

HR: Greenwell (4), Benzinger (4), Rice (4), LeFlore (2), Thompson (5), Parrish (5)

MVP: Todd Benzinger (4-6, 2 RBI, 4 RBI, 2B, HR)

Detroit got off to a fast start with a lead-off inside the park HR in the bottom of the 1st and led 3-0 going into the 5th.  But then the Sox bats started to figure out Tiger starter, Petry.  The big blow being a grand slam by Mike Greenwell that gave the Sox the lead that they would not relinquish.  It would get tight when the Tigers got to Bob Stanley for 2 runs to pull to 7-6 before a Jum RIce 2 run homer and a Benzinger RBI single in the bottom of the 8th gave Boston a cushion.  Which they would need as Tom Bolton pitched himself into trouble in the 9th before Lee Smith shut the door to pick up his 10th save of the year.

GM 2: 79 Detroit wins 2-0

WP: Pat Underwood (2-0)

LP: Wes Gardner (2-2)

SV: Aurelio Lopez (4)

HR: NONE

MVP: Pat Underwood (7.1 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 1 K)

Pat Underwood and Wes Gardner (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 10 K) matched zeroes until the Tigers finally broke through in the bottom of the 6th.  The scoring came after a lead off walk to Steve Kemp followed by an RBI double by Jason Thomspon.  An insurance run would cross the plate a couple batters later when Rusty Staub drove home Thompson with a sacrifice fly.  Underwood kept blanking the Sox until he ran out of gas in the 8th and handed the ball over to Aurelio Lopez who recorded the final 5 outs for his 4th save of the season.

GM 3: 88 Boston wins 2-0 (13 innings)

WP: Dennis Lamp (2-0)

LP: Bruce Taylor (0-1)

SV: NONE

HR: Mike Greenwell (5)

MVP: Roger Clemens (8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 8 K, ND)

The Red Sox bats were silenced for 21 straight innings by Detroit pitching until Mike Greenwell 2-5, R, 2 RBI, HR) ended the drought and the game with a 2 run blast off Bruce Taylor down the RF line that landed 10 rows up into the bleachers.   Wade Boggs (2-6, R) had singled earlier in the inning and came around later on the 2 out game ender off the Boston left fielder's bat.  Dennis Lamp picked up the victory as the last of 4 Boston relievers that kept the Tigers off the board over the last 5 innings.

GM 4: 79 Detroit wins 9-2

WP: Jack Morris (5-3)

LP: Bruce Hurst (4-2)

SV: NONE

HR: Trammell (2), Parrish (6)

MVP: Lance Parrish (2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR)

It was all Detroit from the start in the series finale.  The Tigers but 4 up in the 1st and 4 more in the 3rd thanks to long balls from Alan Trammell and Parrish.  Ron Leflore was also a big part of the offense on the day with 3 hits in his 5 trips to the plate.  The outburst of early runs was more than enough for Tiger ace Jack Morris as the righty kept the Sox bats in check with 2 runs on 7 hits over 7 innings to pick up his 5th win on the season.  Steve Baker finished out the last 2 innings for Detroit to earn the split for Detroit.  

Pete

BOS