Detroit Tigers Miss Prime Opportunities as Boston Red Sox Take 2-Game Series

The Detroit Tigers came into Thursday's game looking to split the two-game series with the Boston Red Sox. The game would not turn out in the Tigers favor, as they fell 4-3 to the Red Sox.

Tonight's game featured arguably the two hottest pitchers in the AL. Justin Verlander took the mound for the Tigers against Red Sox ace Josh Beckett.

Coming into Thursday's game, Verlander had allowed just two hits in his last 17 innings pitched. Verlander's opponent, Beckett had not allowed an earned run the entire month of May and only one earned run at Fenway the whole season. 

Neither pitcher would disappoint on Thursday night, but neither would earn the win. Beckett pitched six solid innings before leaving the game with a "sore neck". Beckett allowed only five hits, two walks, and one earned-run. 

Verlander went eight strong innings, his third consecutive start doing so. He allowed six hits and three earned runs during his time on the mound, also striking out nine Red Sox batters.   

The truth of the matter is that the Tigers did not capitalize at the plate or on the base paths. This in-turn cost them the game. The team took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on rookie Andy Dirks' first major league RBI, scoring Miguel Cabrera. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded and one-out, Brandon Inge hit a deep fly to left in what should have been a RBI sacrifice fly. Standing on third base, Victor Martinez committed a mental error and did not make it home, costing the Tigers a run.

Later in the eighth inning, down 3-1, with nothing going the Tigers way, Brennan Boesch and Miguel Cabrera hit back-to-back homers to give the Tigers a jolt, tying the game. 

Onto the ninth inning, where the Tigers loaded the bases against Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. With only one out, Boesch and Cabrera had back-to-back strikeouts, to end the threat.

The Red Sox would load the bases in the bottom of the ninth against Al Alburquerque before Carl Crawford ended it with a walk-off single. The final was 4-3 in what was a hard one to swallow for the Tiger faithful. The team is now 22-21 on the season.

The Tigers were 2-9 with RISP in the game, and 2-19 in the two-game series. This is something that manager Jim Leyland will remind his players of come Friday morning. To become and remain a winning ball club, the team must be timely at the plate.

The Tigers now head to Pittsburgh to begin interleague play in the 2011 season. Pittsburgh is an up-and-coming squad that is not to be taken lightly. Look for the Tigers to regain focus as they look to get back to their winning ways.