Tigers fall in 11 at Boston, 2

The Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox still haven’t experienced one other taking into consideration that June of 2014. Ortiz has been great for much of this season, and his last-place team has been worse, but he has 19 homers and 54 RBIs. JD Martinez has emerged as one of the better power hitters in the American League as he is tied for third in the majors with 27 home runs. Luckily for them, they are out of contention before the deadline and can use this coming week to reclaim some much needed cash, add some depth to their farm system, and avoid the same miserable fate next season. I love when he does the Derek Jeter play, jumping in the air and throwing from across his body. But Porcello is still having his worst season since 2010, when he was 4-8 with a 5.55 ERA on July 24.

The Red Sox pushed it to 8-1 in the sixth against reliever Kyle Ryan on RBI singles by Ortiz, Pablo Sandoval and Napoli.

Dustin Pedroia returned to the disabled list Saturday with a strained hamstring after the same injury caused him to miss 16 games before the break. Left fielder Hanley Ramirez was the only Red Sox batter to garner a multi-hit performance, going 2-for-4.

Shane Greene has allowed four earned runs in each of his past seven starts, dating back to May 25.

3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Iglesias has 10 contacts within their last five commences.

Like the Yankees, the Red Sox have been connected to Hamels.

Boston second baseman Brock Holt went 2-for-3 but hurt his left knee rounding first on a first-inning single.

Rodriguez will get his second opportunity to make a primetime start as he was supposed to start in Los Angeles last Sunday night before the rainout. That was also the first game in which Rodriguez did not strike anyone out, so he is looking to rebound nicely from that disgusting start.

Manager John Farrell disputed the notion that Rodriguez was back to giving away his stuff. The Red Sox selected the contract of INF Jemile Weeks from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned RHP Noe Ramirez. And it’s nice to see Eduardo Rodriguez back at his best-a level so impressive that it makes it hard to believe his occasional disasters don’t have some unusual explanation like the pitch-tipping issues that first cropped up against Baltimore.

Alexi Ogando was signed to pitch some of the innings the departed Burke Badenhop had pitched, but Ogando’s season has taken a disastrous turn of late; he has allowed 10 home runs in just over 40 innings pitched. The knuckleballer was ripped for six runs on six hits – including two home runs – and three walks in five innings to suffer the loss against the Angels.

I mean it. 2-1 over the Tigers. Had McCann stayed at second, he would have easily scored on the play. If Boston wants to win, they can’t afford to waste these opportunities given how poor their pitching has been. Bogaerts finished the series 8-for-14 (.571), and improved his batting average to.

Boston chased Greene with a four-run fifth – highlighted by Ortiz’s first three-run homer of the night. 400 in these situations.