Detroit Tigers Triumph Over Boston Red Sox in Rainy Fenway Park Showdown
The Detroit Tigers delivered a powerful offensive performance that forced ace Garrett Crochet out of the game, securing a 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park. The win marks the Tigers’ second consecutive victory after dropping the series opener, and they will close out the four-game series against the Red Sox on Monday morning.
The game was delayed by three hours due to unfavorable weather conditions, but steady rain continued throughout the match. One day after two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal led Detroit to a win, the Tigers faced the pitcher considered his main competition for a third Cy Young Award: 2025 Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet.
Crochet entered the game looking to bounce back from a disastrous start at Minnesota six days earlier, where he allowed 11 runs (10 earned) in just 1 2/3 innings. Although Saturday’s performance wasn’t as damaging, the Tigers ensured another blemish on his Cy Young résumé.
The Tigers broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning, all with two outs. Jahmai Jones started the rally with a solo home run, followed by Gleyber Torres walking and Matt Vierling singling. Dillon Dingler then crushed a three-run homer to center field, sealing the lead.
Dingler finished the game with a 4-for-5 performance and is now batting .302 with a .983 OPS and five home runs through 73 plate appearances in 2026. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch praised the team’s effort in challenging conditions. “Our guys did a good job battling through the conditions, obviously against a really good pitcher,” Hinch said. “We had some really big swings. Pretty much everybody contributed in one way or another, which is always fun when you have a team win. And now we get out of here as early as we can with the early start tomorrow.”
Tigers starter Framber Valdez gave up a solo homer to Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras in the first inning but was otherwise nearly flawless in six innings of work. He struck out seven batters and handed a four-run lead to the bullpen.
Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest each pitched a scoreless inning of relief. The Red Sox scored a run in the ninth off Connor Seabold when Caleb Durbin hit a two-out double off the Green Monster in left.
Up Next
The Tigers will wrap up their four-game series against the Red Sox on Monday at 11:10 a.m. The special game time is due to Patriots’ Day and the Boston Marathon.
Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (0-1, 4.05 ERA) will face Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray (2-1, 4.43). Flaherty has allowed just two runs over his last two starts (11 2/3 innings). The last time he pitched at Fenway was one of his best starts of 2024, where he threw 6 2/3 shutout innings, striking out nine and allowing only one walk and one hit in the Tigers’ 5-0 win on May 30, 2024.
Gray was traded to the Red Sox last November from the St. Louis Cardinals. After three solid starts with his new team, his last outing on April 14 at Minnesota didn’t go so well. He allowed five runs on nine hits, including two home runs and struck out just one batter in four innings.
