Ever since the Red Sox decided not to pay Jonathan Papelbon two winters ago and let him sign with the Phillies, they have found very little success replacing him. Joel Hanrahan was terrible then out for the season months ago and now Andrew Bailey has blown four saves. This comes after missing most of 2012 with various injuries. At least they ruined Daniel Bard's promising career (the obvious next closer after Papelbon left) by stretching him out last season and trying to convert him into a starter. Ugh.
Tonight, Boston (44-31 overall, 21-16 away) led Detroit (40-31 overall, 24-12 home) 3-2 in the ninth inning of the series opener at Comerica Park. Bailey walked Victor Martinez then allowed a two-run walk-off homer to Jhonny Peralta. After the game Red Sox manager John Farrell alluded to the fact that the Red Sox will change closers, however he left out the important part about who he had in mind for this important job. I'd nominate Junichi Tazawa since Koji Uehara is perfect for the eighth inning and Andrew Miller is way too unpredictable to trust in that role.
Like every walk-off loss, it was a bitter setback since Boston played well enough to beat one of the best teams in the AL in their home park. David Ortiz hit a solo homer in the fourth, his 15th, then Jacoby Ellsbury drove in Jose Iglesias with an RBI single in the fifth. Iglesias had tripled.
Torii Hunter tied it with a bloop two-run single in the fifth for the Tigers. John Lackey had his sixth quality start in his last seven outings: 7 innings, 2 earned runs on 7 hits with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk. For Detroit, former Red Sox prospect Jose Alvarez went five innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Detroit reliever Drew Smyley (3-0) went two scoreless innings with four strikeouts for the win. Ortiz put Boston ahead with an RBI single in the eighth after Shane Victorino doubled and stole third base.
Tomorrow night (7:08, NESN), Jon Lester (6-4) meets Doug Fister (6-4) in a game that at least on paper looks like a nice pitcher's duel. That's assuming Lester is the guy from early in the season and not the bum from the last month.
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