Ceddanne Rafaela hits 2 HRs, drives in 5 to help Red Sox beat Tigers 7-3
BOSTON (AP) — Ceddanne Rafaela homered twice for his first multi-homer game and drove in five runs, Tanner Houck had a solid start and the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 7-3 on Friday night.
Houck (5-5) went seven innings, giving up one run on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts. The right-hander was hit in his pitching arm by Zach McKinstry's comebacker with one out in the fifth inning. Houck stayed with the play and threw out McKinstry at first base.
Rafaela fell two shy of his career high in RBIs set April 27 against the Chicago Cubs.
Right-hander Kenta Maeda (2-2) went 4 2/3 innings for Detroit, giving up five runs on a season-high eight hits with two walks and a season-high six strikeouts.
Boston scored four runs in the fourth inning. Rafael Devers led off with a double and scored on Dominic Smith’s one-out double. After Vaughn Grissom singled, No. 9 hitter Rafaela hit a two-out homer over the Green Monster in left field, scoring Smith and Grissom.
The Red Sox added a run in the next inning on doubles by Connor Wong and Rob Refsnyder, ending Maeda’s outing with left-hander Joey Wentz entering.
After David Hamilton singled with one out in the sixth, Rafaela hit his seventh homer of the season, giving Boston a 7-1 lead.
Detroit opened the scoring when Riley Greene singled with one out in the first inning, stole second base and scored on Gio Urshela’s two-out single.
Detroit's Colt Keith hit a two-out homer in the eighth off Greg Weissert.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: The injury to OF Kerry Carpenter, who was placed on the injured list Wednesday, was reclassified from lumbar spine inflammation to a lumbar spine stress fracture.
Red Sox: OF Tyler O’Neill, on the injured list since May 26 with right knee inflammation, received a cortisone shot Thursday and could return to the lineup Wednesday, his first day of eligibility. … LF/DH Masataka Yoshida, on the IL since April 29 with a left thumb strain, began hitting off a tee on Thursday and could being taking live batting practice on Saturday. … RHP Isaiah Campbell, on the IL since April 12 with right shoulder impingement, was expected to pitch two innings in a rehab assignment Saturday.
UP NEXT:
Tigers RHP Reese Olson (1-5, 1.92 ERA) was set to start Saturday against RHP Cooper Criswell (2-2, 3.96).
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