Max Scherzer finished of the seventh inning with a 5-1 lead. With Boston's lineup mostly dormant during the series, it seemed as though Detroit would cruise to an easy victory and a 2-0 series lead. But this is baseball; crazy can always happen. And crazy unfolded in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Tigers vs. Red Sox score update, ALCS Game 2: 5-5, Bottom 9
The Red Sox storm back to tie the game on David Ortiz’s grand slam.
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY
Tigers manager Jim Leyland used a combination of Jose Veras, Drew Smyly, and Al Alburquerque to record the first two outs of the inning, but the trio also loaded the bases. With David Ortiz due up, Leyland summoned Joaquin Benoit from the pen to take out the tough lefty.
Benoit allowed the only Sox hit in Game One, foreshadowing what was to happen in Game Two. It only took one swing—nay, one pitch, a hanging changeup—and Ortiz blasted a game-tying grand slam, only the second in post-season history.
The grand slam claimed a second victim: Torii Hunter.
The Tigers failed to score in the top of the ninth inning.
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