BOSTON (AP) — Chris Sale remained winless after five starts but struck out a season-high 10 in five innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox 7-4 Tuesday to start their first doubleheader sweep at Fenway Park since August 1965.
Spencer Turnbull (1-2) pitched five shutout innings for his first major league win, leading the Tigers to a 4-2 victory in the nightcap that left the World Series champions at 9-15.
Brandon Dixon greeted Marcus Walden with a three-run double after the Tigers loaded the bases against Hector Velázquez (0-2), and the Red Sox were swept in a twin-bill for the first time since the Los Angeles Angels accomplished the feat on July 20, 2015.
Sale gave up two runs, five hits and two walks, lowering his ERA from 8.50 to 7.43. The 30-year-old, who signed a $160 million, six-year contract late in spring training, had never gone his first five starts in a big league season without a victory.
In the first game, Matthew Boyd (2-1) combined with three relievers on a five-hitter against Boston, starting a 10-game homestand after a three-game sweep at Tampa Bay. Josh Harrison hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth off Colten Brewer (0-2) and scored two pitches later on a single by Grayson Greiner.
In the second game, Shane Greene struck out two in a one-hit ninth for his 11th save in as many tries. The opener was Detroit's first win that Greene did not save.
© Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.