The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers hook up for Game 2 of the ALCS. Scoring updates will be provided for this key game as the Red Sox look to leave Fenway Park with the series tied at 1-1.
Okay, that is easier said than done. There is probably nobody in baseball, but Red Sox fans who believe their team can pull this off. Max Scherzer is on the mound for the Tigers and he has been lights out so far in the playoffs. Though he has only made one start, he has two wins in the 2013 playoffs. He came on in a relief appearance as the Tigers did not have tomorrow to count on against the A's in Game 4. He gave up a run, but the Tigers backed him up, giving him the "W" instead of the loss.
The loudest bats have been quieted in the 2013 postseason. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been schooled by great pitching and though dominant is not the right word to describe Anibal Sanchez in Game 1, he made his pitches and got his outs despite walking six Red Sox. He pitched six no-hit innings, but had was removed due to his high pitch count.
The Red Sox were held scoreless and they were stripped of home field advantage as the Tigers purred their way to a 1-0 victory behind Sanchez and Jhonny Peralta's lone RBI, that stood as the game's only run. He finished the game with three hits and has continued carrying the Tigers' offense since his return from his 50-game suspension.
Is it fair that a doper is playing the game? He served his punishment, so according to MLB there is nothing wrong. However, Red Sox fans were letting Peralta, the Tigers and Bud Selig know how they felt as they continued chanting "Steroids! Steroids!" a la Alex Rodriguez.
Without a doubt, the Red Sox have an uphill battle, though they are only down 0-1 in the series. The Tigers have Max Scherzer on the mound tonight and Justin Verlander takes over the hill in Comerica Park in Game 3. The Red Sox were baseball's best team in 2013, but it is hard to consider them the favorite in the next couple of games, especially as they get set to hit the road after tonight's game.
Click here for ALCS Game 3 scoring updates between the Red Sox and Tigers