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Red Sox game one: Mark Melancon gets the loss

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It wasn’t going to be easy. Justin Verlander pitches like he’s part machine and yesterday was no different.  In eight innings he gave up only two hits (a double to David Ortiz and a single to Ryan Sweeney), walked one and struck out seven. His current WHIP is 0.38 and his ERA is zero.  Most Red Sox fans wrote this one off before it began and then again halfway through.

But the Red Sox didn’t go down without a fight.  Going into the seventh, Jon Lester had a baserunner in every inning but never let one score. In the ninth inning the score was 2-0 Detroit thanks to starter Lester giving up a run in the seventh (on back to back doubles) and Prince Fielder hitting a sacrifice fly off of reliever Franklin Morales in the eighth (after Austin Jackson hit a triple off of Vicente Padilla). With the Tigers’ closer Jose Valverde taking the mound, just about everyone in baseball assumed the game was over.

But Dustin Pedroia had different ideas.  He started the ninth by hitting a double off of Valverde, which was followed by an Adrian Gonzalez single and a sacrifice fly by David Ortiz.  Suddenly, the Red Sox were back in the game.  Ryan Sweeney tripled after Darnell McDonald stole second (he came in to pinch run for Gonzalez) and Jose Valverde’s streak of no blown saves in 52 opportunities (stretching back to 2010) was gone and the score was tied.

A messily pitched bottom of the ninth was the downfall for the Red Sox.  With the score tied, Bobby Valentine didn’t bring in his closer; he brought in Mark Melancon who, after getting the first out, proceeded to give up two singles. Valentine’s hook was quick and he brought in closer Alfredo Aceves who immediately hit the next batter to load the bases.  An Austin Jackson single to left was all that was needed to give the Tigers their first win of the season right there in front of their fans at Comerica Park.

The teams get a scheduled day off today and will resume the series on Saturday at 4pm (live on Fox Sports) when Josh Beckett takes the mound against Doug Fister.

(Originally published on Examiner.com)