Red Sox Split Series With Win Over Tigers

April 20, 2026

Red Sox 8, Tigers 6

The Boston Red Sox split their four-game series with the Detroit Tigers with an 8–6 win Monday afternoon in Fenway Park. This matchup became a bullpen game for both teams, with Sonny Gray and Jack Flaherty having short outings. Garrett Whitlock got the win out of the pen with a scoreless inning, as Tyler Holton was saddled with the loss allowing three runs, all earned, in the seventh inning.

Red Sox-Tigers Game Summary

The Red Sox were ever so close to taking the lead in the first inning. However, Riley Greene robbed Trevor Story of extra bases with a leaping catch up against the Green Monster.

It didn’t take long for the Red Sox to get on the scoreboard, something that has eluded them for most of this series. Carlos Narvaez bunted on a first and third situation.

Flaherty, with Caleb Durbin caught in the middle of third and home, committed a throwing error allowing Durbin to score. Flaherty allowed a walk to Wilyer Abreu with the bases loaded to make it 2–0 through two innings. Even then, the Red Sox stranded the bases loaded.

Jake Rogers responded back in the top of the third with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 2–1. Gray wound up leaving the game one batter later. The Tigers tied the game up courtesy of a Hao-Yu Lee RBI single to center field off Red Sox reliever Danny Coulombe.

After back-to-back walks from Jovani Moran, the Tigers sent up Jahmai Jones to pinch-hit for Kerry Carpenter. He clutched up with an RBI single to give the Tigers a 3–2 lead. However, the Red Sox responded in kind with Roman Anthony driving an RBI single to center in the bottom half of the inning.

Seventh Inning Offense

The Red Sox took a commanding lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. With the bases loaded, Ceddanne Rafaela slapped a two-run pinch-hit single down the right field line to drive in two runs, as Durbin failed to score from first on the play. After Rafaela scurried to third on a wild pitch, Narvaez reached first on an infield single, driving in Rafaela to make it a 6–3 ballgame.

With runners on second and third, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who pinch-hit for Jarren Duran earlier in the game, notched a two-run single to make it 8–3. Ryan Watson went to pitch in his second inning in the ninth.

He got into a jam, and eventually allowed an RBI single to Gleyber Torres before Aroldis Chapman came in to try and shut the door. Riley Greene came through with a two-run double with two outs, but Chapman managed to coax a groundout to end it.

What Went Right for the Red Sox

Offense Did Something

In the first three games of the series, the lineup produced four runs. It was a pleasant surprise to see the offense as effective as they were. They walked more than they struck out and the bottom of the lineup did some work.

What Went Wrong for the Red Sox

Chapman Nearly Sold

The Red Sox very nearly came up to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning. That would be in line with how the Red Sox have found ways to lose games. However, they did not blow a lead in the final frame of play. This was similar to how the Boston Bruins held their own against the Buffalo Sabres in game one of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Looking Ahead

The Red Sox will look to win a series over their most hated rivals, the New York Yankees. Connelly Early will take the bump for the opener of the series on Tuesday at 6:46 pm Eastern. Luis Gil will start for the Yankees.