VMart Powers the Detroit Tigers Over Boston, 7-6

The Detroit Tigers came back three times, once to tie and twice to take the lead in a 7-6 win over the Red Sox on Fiesta Day at Comerica Park. The Tigres de Detroit scored two runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and two in the seventh off a line smash by Victor Martinez over the Belle Tire sign in right field to bail out starter Alfredo Simon and run their season record to 54-56.

The Red Sox scored single runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead, the first on a Travis Shaw sacrifice fly to score David Ortiz and the second on a single by Brock Holt that drove in Blake Swihart.

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The Tigres struck back in the fifth on a two-run home run by Rajai Davis that just cleared the yellow line in left-center to tie the game but David Ortiz answered with a sky shot of his own over the right-center field wall to take the lead back for Boston, 3-2.

The Tigres plated three more in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-3 lead off of Boston Starter Wade Miley with a pair of doubles and a wild pitch. J.D. Martinez doubled to score Ian Kinsler, moved to third on a single by Nick Castellanos and scored on a Miley wild pitch. James McCann followed with another double to score Castellanos .

Again in the seventh Alfredo Simon failed to hold on. With Alejandro De Aza on third and Swihart on first Rusney Castillo beat out an infield single to score De Aza. Xander Bogaerts followed with a single to load the bases and bring an end to Simon’s night. Blaine Hardy relieved and worked Ortiz to a 1-2 count before surrendering a single that put the Red Sox back on top 6-5.

That set up the bottom of the seventh heroics by Victor Martinez. Ian Kinsler singled with two out and scored on VMart’s blast off of losing pitcher Junichi Tazawa (2-5) that put the Tigres in the lead for good.

Diamond Notes

Prior to the game Placido Polanco was honored as part of the Fiesta Day activities. Polanco received gifts from the Tigres plus threw out the first pitch before the game.

Daniel Norris received his initiation to the team when he spent the fifth inning unaware of a wad of bubble gum placed on the button of his cap, complete with partially blown bubble.

Every Tigres player in the starting lineup recorded at least one hit except for No. 9 Anthony Gose.

Davis made an outstanding play in left field, snaring a Holt line drive just above the blades of grass for the second out of the inning. If the ball had spun out of his glove, as it nearly did, it would have set the Red Sox up with the bases loaded with one out and Castillo at the plate.

David Ortiz continued his career success off of Tigres pitching going 3 for 4 with three RBI’s off a double and home run while scoring two runs. He accounted for five of Boston’s six runs.

Hardy (4-2) played the part of the “vulture” for the Tigres, surrendering a seventh inning single to Ortiz that robbed Simon of a chance for the win and was the pitcher of record when Detroit took the lead for good in the bottom half of the seventh.

Bruce Rondon came on in the ninth inning and struck out two of the four batters he faced to earn his first save of the season.

On Deck

The Tigers attempt to take the rubber game of the series tomorrow afternoon with Justin Verlander (1-4) on the mound against Henry Owens (0-1) who’s making his second career Major League start.