Tigers slump continues at Boston

BEIJING, April 10 -- The Detroit Tigers continued their winless start to the season when a 0-5 defeat by the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday condemned them to a seventh consecutive loss.

Errors took a heavy toll on the Detroit side, setting the stage for two of Boston's five runs in its home opener at Fenway Park.

Boston's Manny Ramirez scored the game's second run in the bottom of the third inning when he pounded a hit deep into center field. While trying to throw Ramirez out at third, Detroit second baseman Placido Polanco overthrew the ball, sending the dreadlocked cleanup hitter home on an error.

In the fourth, a throwing error by Detroit third baseman Miguel Cabrera sent Boston's Julio Lugo to second base after an overthrown ball rolled into the dugout. That set the stage for a sacrifice fly by Kevin Youkilis to drive Lugo home, extending the Red Sox lead to three runs.

Detroit reliever Jason Grilli walked three Boston hitters in the sixth inning, driving in a run when he threw four balls to J.D. Drew with the bases loaded.

In other American League games, it was: Orioles 8, Rangers 1; Royals 5, Yankees 2; Mariners 6, Rays 5; Athletics 9, Blue Jays 8; and Indians 4, Angels 3.

In the National League, it was: Brewers 3, Reds 2 (in 10 innings); Phillies 5, Mets 2; Rockies 4, Braves 3; Cardinals 5, Astros 3; Diamondbacks 10, Dodgers 5; and Giants 3, Padres 2 (in 11 innings).

Earlier, starting Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka faced a similar tight spot when we gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases. Japanese Matsuzaka, who caused a stir last year with his US$100 million contract, then brought batter Carlos Guillen to a full count before the Detroit player popped out to center field, losing a chance to take the lead.

Matsuzaka (2-0) began the home portion of his second season in Boston with seven strikeouts and four walks. Manny Delcarmen and Hideki Okajima completed a five-hitter.

The Tigers are batting just .235 and have scored 15 runs this year, ahead of only Colorado (12) entering MLB play on Tuesday night.

Red Sox Manager Terry Francona warned against reading too much into the Tigers' losing streak.

"The season has a way of evening things out," Francona said. "When it's early, everything gets blown out of proportion."

In Milwaukee, the Brewers stayed unbeaten at home after beating the Cincinnati Reds. The NL Central Division-leaders improved to 6-1 with their fourth win, Rickie Weeks's single to left field driving in J.J. Hardy for the deciding run against the Reds.

The win came despite a blown save by reliever Eric Gagne, who gave up a home run to Corey Patterson in the ninth inning to tie the score.

"I want to go out there and not blow any saves, but we won the game," Gagne said. "The guys picked me up again."

Milwaukee opened the scoring in the third on Jason Kendall's run-scoring single before Patterson drove in Cincinnati's other run in the seventh that knotted the score at 1-1.

Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto struck out eight and allowed five hits but Bill Hall gave Milwaukee a 2-1 lead with a homer in the seventh.

(Source: Shanghai Daily/Agencies)