Red Sox 2, Tigers 1 (11 innings)
BOSTON -- The reeling Boston Red Sox, returning from a historic 0-7 road trip, snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 2-1, 11-inning decision over the fading Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts singled home the winning run as the last-place Red Sox, who have scored 21 runs in the last nine games, won for the first time since the All-Star break and opened a 10-game homestand on an up note.
Center fielder Mookie Betts opened the 11th by rallying from an 0-2 count to draw a walk off left-hander Blaine Hardy (3-2). Betts took second on a sacrifice by second baseman Brock Holt and scored on Bogaerts' single on a close play at the plate. There was a lengthy review of the call but it stood.
The hit was the third of the night for Bogaerts, who came into the game hitting an American League-high .403 with runners in scoring position.
The loss dropped the fading Tigers to 3-5 since the break and to 47-49 on the season.
Right-hander Justin Masterson (4-2) worked out of trouble in the top of the 11th and got the win.
Tiger starter Justin Verlander and former teammate Rick Porcello both pitched strong games without a decision.
Verlander, coming off a shelling at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles and winless in his seven 2015 starts, gave up a run on seven hits in eight innings, not walking anyone. The Tigers are 0-7 in his starts.
Porcello, pitching against his former team for the first time, turned in his second strong performance in his last three outings, leaving a tie game after seven innings. He allowed five hits and fanned six while not walking anyone.
Second baseman Ian Kinsler, who singled home a run and stole a base in the third inning, tripled with two outs in the Detroit eighth, but died on third when left fielder Yoenis Cespedes struck out. He added his third hit in the 11th and is 13-for-25 during a five-game hitting streak.
The Red Sox had the winning run on second with two outs in the ninth but first baseman Mike Napoli lined right back to the pitcher.
The Red Sox, who ended their horrible road trip in Houston on Thursday night and did not fly home until Friday morning, fell behind 1-0 in the third inning but quickly got the run back.
Shortstop Jose Iglesias, a one-time Red Sox player, led off the Detroit third with a double, took third base on a groundout and scored on a single by Kinsler. Kinsler stole second but got no farther.
In the bottom of the inning, left fielder Alejandro De Aza became the seventh straight batter retired by Verlander, but right fielder Shane Victorino and catcher Ryan Hanigan singled. After a strikeout, Verlander surrendered an RBI single to Holt, an All-Star who was coming off a 3-for-17 trip.
NOTES: Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia missed his second straight game with a hamstring problem. He was 1-for-22 since coming off the disabled list with the same injury. ... Boston DH David Ortiz, 10-for-27 lifetime against Detroit starter Justin Verlander, sat out with a scheduled night off. ... Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera said he is making progress on his road back from a calf injury but still hasn't been cleared for baseball activity. Talking about the injury, Cabrera said, "When I went to second (base), it seemed like somebody shot me. I knew something was wrong." ... Struggling RHP Alfredo Simon will pitch for the Tigers against RHP Steven Wright on Saturday. ... Jack Eichel, the Boston University forward taken second overall by Buffalo in the recent NHL draft, threw out a first pitch. ... A pregame moment of silence was held for the five servicemen killed in Chattanooga, Tenn.