This is it, the start of the final month of regular season baseball. Can the Red Sox re-kickstart their push for a playoff spot or would the Tigers scratch out a little more hope?

Key Moments

T2: Abreu’s Devastating Double Play

Two walks, a brand new pitcher and a chance to do some damage early and you swing into a first pitch double play? Just not smart baseball here.

B2: Criswell Cruises

Criswell struck out the side in the second inning and looked strong in his short start this afternoon.

T5: Duran Breaks the Deadlock

It was Boston who broke the scoreless tie as he flared an RBI single through the hole in the left side of the infield. Jarren Duran does continue to be a constant in the lineup.

B5: Torkelson’s Tank

And yet, in the bottom of the frame, Spencer Torkelson snatched the lead right back with a two-run rope.

B6: Riley Rakes

This was gone off the bat, all we needed to know is if it was staying fair. It did.

Studs

Cooper Criswell (4.0 IP, 5 K)

He looked extremely smooth in his four innings of work. Very shocked as to why he was lifted.

Chase Shugart (2.0 IP, 2 K)

For coming in to really do mop-up work and keep Boston in this game after both Tigers’ two-run homers, Shugart shut down Detroit’s lineup. Just a shame the offense couldn’t wake up.

Duds

The Red Sox Offense (3 hits total)

The lineup has generated seven hits TOTAL in their losses the last two games. That’s simply unacceptable.

Rich Hill (0.2 IP, 2 ER, 1 HR, 2 K)/Alex Cora

I don’t like putting Rich Hill here but he is the one that couldn’t get out of an inning and gave up the go-ahead runs, but this feels like a case of over-management by Cora which is why he’s listed alongside Hill here. Criswell was grooving at 52 pitches through four innings, I don’t know why he wasn’t ridden a little longer.

Play of the Game

Unfortunately for the Red Sox, it’s Spencer Torkelson’s go-ahead two-run shot to give the Tiger the lead for good.