BOSTON, MA –
BOSTON (AP) - Carl Crawford hit a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Boston Red Sox to their season-high sixth straight win, 4-3 over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.
After blowing a 3-1 lead in the eighth by giving up back-to-back homers to Brennan Boesch and Miguel Cabrera, Boston rallied in the ninth to complete the two-game sweep of the Tigers.
Jonathan Papelbon (2-0) got the win after pitching a scoreless, but hectic ninth, then the Red Sox came through against Al Alburquerque (0-1) in the bottom half.
J.D. Drew and David Ortiz each homered for Boston and Josh Beckett pitched six solid innings. He was pulled before the seventh with tightness in his neck as the Red Sox took no chances on the cool, misty night.