By Maureen Mullen
CSNNE.com
DETROITThe Red Sox continued to slug their way through their road trip, pounding the Tigers, 6-3, Friday night in front of 34,046 at Comerica Park.
Trailing, 2-1, going into the third inning, the Sox sent eight batters to the plate with five scoring.
Staked to a four-run lead, starter Tim Wakefield cruised through his outing. He went seven innings, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts. He needed just 83 pitches, 58 for strikes.
It is the 195th win of Wakefields 19-season career, 181st with the Sox.
The Sox beat up on Tigers starter Rick Porcello, driving him from the game after three innings. Porcello took the loss, falling to 4-3, with a 3.93 ERA. He gave up six runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts and a wild pitch.
Jacoby Ellsbury led off the third with a home run to right field, his sixth of the season, tying the score. Dustin Pedroia followed with a walk, going to second on Adrian Gonzalezs single. Kevin Youkilis double to center scored Pedroia and Gonzalez. After David Ortiz flied out to center, Carl Crawfords fourth home run of the season put the Sox up, 6-2, before Jed Lowrie grounded out and Josh Reddick popped out.
Boston Red Sox
The Sox got a single run in the first inning when Ellsbury led off with a single to right, stole second, went to third on Gonzalezs ground out to second, and scored on Porcellos wild pitch.
The Tigers got the run back in the bottom of the inning. Austin Jackson led off with a single to left, stole second and scored on Miguel Cabreras single to center.
Jhonny Peraltas home run leading off the second gave the Tigers a brief one-run lead. It was the first time the Sox had trailed since the second inning Tuesday in Cleveland.
Daniel Bard pitched a scoreless eighth inning, while Jonathan Papelbon allowed a run in the ninth.
It is the Sox fourth straight win, going 4-1 in the first five games of their seven-game road trip.
South Portland, Maines Charlie Furbush relieved Porcello admirably, going five scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
But by then, the Sox had done enough damage to improve to 29-22.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Tim Wakefield
Wakefield went seven innings, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts. He threw just 83 pitches (58 strikes), cruising to the win. He improved to 2-1 with a 4.14 ERA.
It was his longest outing since going eight innings in a 3-2 win over the Orioles on July 2, 2010.
He has made four starts this season, including his last two outings, as he fills in with John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka on the DL. In his last two starts he has gone a combined 13 23 innings, giving up three earned runs on nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts. He has posted a cumulative ERA of 1.98.
I was fighting my mechanics in the first couple of innings, Wakefield said, but was able to make some adjustments after the second inning and was able to cruise through into the seventh.
"I'm just doing what I can to help us win games. Asked me to fill a role here and do the best that I can.
HONORABLE MENTION: Jacoby Ellsbury
Ellsbury went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. He scored after his first two at-bats of the game. His speed helped him to his first run, while his power gave him the second run. Ellsbury led off the game with a single to right, taking second on his 18th stolen base of the season. He went to third on Adrian Gonzalezs groundout, and scored on Rick Porcellos wild pitch.
He led off the third with his sixth home run of the season, to tie the game. It was his second home run in as many games.
For good measure, he added some strong defense in center field.
Hes a great player, said Dustin Pedroia. We knew. We expect this of him. He can do anything. He hits homers. He steals bases. He plays great defense. Hes a special player, man.
THE GOAT: Rick Porcello
Porcello lasted just three innings, giving up six runs on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts, a wild pitch, and two home runs. He was given a slim 2-1 lead in the second on Jhonny Peraltas lead-off homer, but couldnt hold on to it. In the next inning, he gave up five runs as the Sox sent eight batters to the plate.
THE TURNING POINT
Trailing 2-1 going into the third inning, the Sox sent eight batters to the plate, with five scoring.
Jacoby Ellsbury led off the third with a home run to right field, his sixth of the season, tying the score. Dustin Pedroia followed with a walk, going to second on Adrian Gonzalezs single. Kevin Youkilis double to center scored Pedroia and Gonzalez. After David Ortiz flied out to center, Carl Crawfords fourth home run of the season put the Sox up, 6-2, before Jed Lowrie grounded out and Josh Reddick popped out.
STAT OF THE DAY: 1-2-3
The Sox scored seven runs in the first inning Wednesday against the Indians, five runs in the second inning Thursday against the Tigers, and five runs in the third inning Friday against the Tigers. What can that mean for the fourth inning Saturday (Oh, yeah, they also scored five runs in the eighth inning on Thursday.)
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I don't think its unusual, I think it's a blessing for us that its happened so far and hopefully we can continue to do so. -- Tim Wakefield, on the four starts he and Alfredo Aceves have made in place of John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka, who are on the DL. Wakefield and Aceves are a combined 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in those four starts.
Maureen Mullen is on Twitter at http:twitter.commaureenamullen