DETROIT – Any good feelings left over from the Tigers' walkoff series win over the Kansas City Royals Thursday were squashed Friday night, when Detroit lost to the last-place Red Sox, 7-2, prompting a shoving match in the team's dugout.
On Thursday, the mob scene at home plate was a celebratory one. Ian Kinsler had just delivered a two-run homer to lift the Tigers over the Royals for the second night in a row.
But when Jose Iglesias shoved James McCann in the Tigers' dugout during the loss Friday it had nothing to do with team success. Now Detroit will have to bounce back from a miserable loss and an in-house scuffle.
First Pitch: 7:08 p.m. on FSD
Brad Ausmus will turn to Alfredo Simon to get the Tigers back on track. Simon, who hasn't pitched since July 30, won each of his last two starts despite lasting six innings or fewer in both.
Simon's July ERA was 7.26 in six starts and he surrendered fewer than four runs just once, a victory over the Red Sox in Fenway Park. He allowed just five hits in six innings.
Boston will send out:
Brock Holt, 2B
Rusney Castillo, RF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
David Ortiz, DH
Hanley Ramirez, LF
Pablo Sandoval, 3B
Travis Shaw, 1B
Blake Swihart, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
The Red Sox will counter with lefty Wade Miley, who comes into the game 8-9 with a 4.55 ERA. Miley has never pitched against the Tigers. He's coming off a rough month of July, though he did hold the Rays to two runs over 6 2/3 innings on Sunday.
The Tigers will send out this lineup against the left:
Rajai Davis, LF
Jose Iglesias, SS
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Victor Martinez, DH
J.D. Martinez, RF
Nick Castellanos, 3B
James McCann, C
Jefry Marte, 1B
Anthony Gose, CF
Justin Verlander and rookie Henry Owens will face off in the final game of the series on Sunday night before the Tigers head to Kansas City for another three-game set with the Royals.