Red Sox 6, Tigers 5
David Ortiz delivered a game-tying grand slam in the eighth inning and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit the game-winning single in the ninth as host Boston rallied from a five-run deficit to even the American League Championship Series at a game apiece.
Jonny Gomes led off the ninth with an infield single off Rick Porcello (0-1) and moved to second on a throwing error by shortstop Jose Iglesias. Gomes advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored easily when Saltalamacchia slapped the decisive hit past Iglesias and a drawn-in infield.
Koji Uehara (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for Boston, which didn’t get its first hit until the sixth inning. Game 3 is Tuesday in Detroit.
Detroit built the five-run lead as Alex Avila hit an RBI single in the second inning before belting a two-run homer that capped a four-run sixth, and Max Scherzer set a season high with 13 strikeouts while allowing one run and two hits in seven frames. Miguel Cabrera launched a solo shot earlier in the sixth before Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez rapped back-to-back doubles.
Boston scored its first run of the series in the sixth, when Shane Victorino singled for the first hit off Scherzer and scored on Dustin Pedroia’s double off the Green Monster. The Red Sox loaded the bases in the eighth before Ortiz walloped his 15th career postseason homer, a first-pitch blast off Joaquin Benoit that barely cleared the wall and saw Tigers right fielder Torii Hunter fall over the fence and into the Boston bullpen while attempting to make the catch.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Red Sox hitters struck out 15 times to raise their total to 32 through two games. … Boston starter Clay Buchholz allowed five runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. … Boston leadoff hitters were retired in the first 17 innings of the series before Gomes reached to start the ninth.