Pinch hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth as the host Detroit Tigers completed a three-game sweep with a 6-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.
Andy Ibanez drew a leadoff walk, stole second and moved to third on an error prior to Malloy’s two-out hit off Aroldis Chapman (2-2).
Riley Greene had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Trey Sweeney drove in two runs.
Tigers starter Tarik Skubal went 6 1/3 innings and was charged with five runs and seven hits to go with 11 strikeouts. Will Vest (3-0) threw a scoreless ninth.
Alex Bregman went 3-for-4 with a homer to lead Boston.
The Red Sox struck first in the first. Rafael Devers and Bregman singled with one out to set up Rob Refsnyder’s sacrifice fly.
The Tigers got that run back in the second. Greene led off with a double to center and scored on a Sweeney single.
Boston regained the lead in the fourth when Bregman led off with a home run to left-center field. Detroit evened the score in the bottom of the inning. Colt Keith led off with a double, moved to third on a Greene single and scored when Dillon Dingler bounced into a double play.
The Tigers took a 5-2 lead in the sixth. Keith led off with a single to left and scored when Greene powered a Dobbins fastball over the right-center wall.
After a Dingler single, Dobbins was removed in favor of Justin Wilson. Dingler advanced on a groundout and a wild pitch before scoring on Sweeney’s sacrifice fly to center.
Boston answered in the top of the seventh. Nick Sogard singled with one out and Carlos Narvaez walked. Ceddanne Rafaela then singled to right to knock in Sogard and end Skubal’s night.
Jarren Duran and Rafael Devers followed with RBI singles off Tyler Holton to knot the score 5-5.
Kerry Carpenter nearly regained the lead for Detroit in the bottom of the seventh as he launched a deep shot to right. Abreu, the right fielder, leaped at the wall and extended his glove above the yellow line. He swatted the ball back into play and into the hands of center fielder Rafaela, who was standing three feet away.
