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Red Sox Nip Tigers 2-1 on Ninth-Inning Run

Posted on: Thursday, 5 May 2005, 21:00 CDT

DETROIT - Bronson Arroyo took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, and David Ortiz's tiebreaking double in the ninth sent the Boston Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.

With two outs, Ortiz hit a line drive to right-center off Ugueth Urbina (0-3) to score Trot Nixon from first, giving the Red Sox their fifth win in six games.

Arroyo (4-0) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out eight in eight innings, his longest outing of the season. Keith Foulke pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

Carlos Guillen got Detroit's first hit, a one-out homer in the seventh, tying the game at 1.

Arroyo has won his last nine decisions and hasn't lost since Aug. 15, 2004.

Using his quirky delivery - with a high, straight-leg kick - and a mix of pitches, Arroyo had his way against the Tigers. He gave up a two-out walk and single in the eighth, then struck out Brandon Inge.

Detroit's Jason Johnson also was effective on the mound.

Johnson gave up one run, eight hits and two walks while striking out four in seven innings.

Boston led off the eighth with two singles against Urbina, but stranded both runners. Jay Payton ended the inning with a strikeout and slammed his bat behind the plate after the called third strike.

Red Sox shortstop Edgar Renteria left with an injured right index finger after he was hit by a pitch while trying to bunt in the second inning. Renteria was replaced by Ramon Vazquez, who then hit an RBI single off Johnson.

The one-run lead held up until Guillen's homer barely cleared the right-field fence, just over the 330-foot mark.

Notes:@ The last Boston pitcher to win nine decisions in a row was Pedro Martinez in 2002. ... Nixon played after serving a two-game suspension for his role in last month's scuffle with Tampa Bay. ... Red Sox manager Terry Francona was considering giving Manny Ramirez the day off and decided to do so after the outfielder turned an ankle Wednesday night. Francona said the injury is not a concern. ... Detroit RHP Kyle Farnsworth (biceps) and OF Craig Monroe (groin) did not play and are day-to-day. ... Boston's Johnny Damon extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a single in the seventh. ... Johnson broke four bats in the first five innings.

Source: Associated Press/AP Online

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