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DOUG FISTER |
BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
2013 ALCS, GAME #4
Doug Fister ties
it up for Detroit
October 16, 2013 ...
By the end of this 7-3 win over the Red Sox, the Tigers had put up more runs in three-plus innings against Jake Peavy than they did in the first three games of this series combined.
They somehow found a road map out of this hellacious slump for Austin Jackson, whose four times on base out of the eighth spot nearly matched his total for the previous eight games of
this postseason batting leadoff.
They rediscovered the run production in the veteran bat of Torii Hunter, who who accounted for as many runs in the third inning (three) as he did for the rest of the postseason.
Last but not least, they not only deadlocked this series again, they flipped the script.
The Red Sox had a chance to take command of the American League Championship Series. Instead, they turned in their first clunker this postseason. Unable to get what they needed out of starter Jake Peavy, the Sox also had a tough time coming up with timely hits. Through the first four games in this series, Boston has scored 10 runs, four of which came on one grand slam by David Ortiz in Game 2. The Sox showed signs of breaking out in this one, belting out 12 hits. Leadoff man Jacoby Ellsbury broke out with a
four-hit night, including a double and a triple. The problem is that the Sox left 10 men on base and went 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
Though Doug Fister did it in more of a finesse way than Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, he tamed the Boston bats just like his teammates did. That's what Peavy failed to do in this one. The
veteran was lifted after allowing the first two batters to reach in the fourth. He went three-plus innings, allowing five hits and seven runs. Peavy walked three and struck out one.
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DUSTIN PEDROIA |
After breezing through the first, Peavy completely lost his command in the second, and the Tigers pounced. Victor Martinez led off with a single, and Peavy walked
Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avila to load the bases with nobody out. Omar Infante hit a sinking liner to center, and Ellsbury made a tremendous diving catch to save a run. However, it wound up being inconsequential. Austin
Jackson drew a bases-loaded walk and the Tigers had a 1-0 lead. Jose Iglesias followed with a grounder to short that Dustin Pedroia bobbled initially, erasing the chance at a double play. The Sox did get the force at second, but a run scored. Torii Hunter,
who was vaulted into the leadoff spot, laced a two-run double to left. Miguel Cabrera's soft liner to center dropped in, and the Tigers were up 5-0.
Peavy settled down for a 1-2-3 third, but the Tigers jumped right back on him in the fourth. Infante started it with a ground-rule double to left. Jackson ripped a single off the glove of a diving Pedroia and into right, scoring Infante. That was Peavy's 65th and
final pitch of the night. Cabrera came up with a two-out RBI single against Brandon Workman to make it 7-0.
Fister navigated his way out of some traffic early and had a shutout through five. The Sox finally put something together in the sixth. Mike Napoli and
Daniel Nava stroked back-to-back singles. Saltalamacchia banged an RBI single up the middle, cutting Detroit's lead to 7-1. Victorino's RBI double in the seventh scored Ellsbury to
make it a five-run game. In the ninth, Bogaerts opened the frame with a leadoff double and scored on Ellsbury's triple to the right-field corner.
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JACOBY ELLSBURY |
Jacoby Ellsbury went 4-for-5 at the plate with a double and a triple in the Red Sox's 7-3 loss to the Tigers. He also added an RBI in the top of the ninth inning that almost sparked a rally against Detroit closer Joaquin Benoit, but ultimately, the rest of his
teammates came up a little short. It marked the fifth time in Ellsbury's postseason career that he has enjoyed at least a three-hit game, which allowed him to surpass Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz for the most in franchise history.
The Red Sox have not used a strict platoon in left field in the postseason, giving Jonny Gomes starts against righthanders Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. But Daniel Nava was back in left field for Wednesday night's Game 4. Nava entered 5 for 12 against Detroit
starter Doug Fister and Gomes 1 for 3.
As much as the momentum has already swung in this series, the best-of-three that awaits should be thrilling.
Craig Breslow is one of 10 players nominated for the 49th annual Hutch Award, named for former major league player and manager Fred Hutchinson. The award, which will be presented Jan. 30 in Seattle, recognizes honor, courage, and dedication. Lester is a former
winner |
