Games 144 & 145: Tigers Come From Ahead Twice and Lose DH to Bosox

Boston, MA (Wed., Sept. 10, 1975) - The Tigers blew leads in both ends of a twi-night doubleheader and were swept by the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park Wednesday evening.

In Game 1, the Tigers scored five runs in the first inning but were shutout the rest of the way in losing, 6-5. In the nightcap, the Tigers held a 2-0 lead midway through the game but ended up on the short end of a 5-3 score.

In the opener, the Tigers pounced on Red Sox starter Roger Moret for five runs in the first inning, courtesy a three-run homer by hot-hitting Willie Horton and a two-run shot by Aurelio Rodriguez.

But Moret got stingy and went seven innings, giving up no more runs after the first frame. Meanwhile, the Red Sox chipped away against Tigers starter Vern Ruhle, tying the game in the eighth inning and winning it in the bottom of the ninth on a two-out single by Carl Yastrzemski, scoring Rick Burleson.

In Game 2, the Red Sox scored three runs in the seventh inning to erase a 2-1 deficit and they held on from there.

Horton hit another homer in the second game, no. 25 on the season to go with 92 RBI. In his past 41 at-bats, Horton has seven home runs and 19 RBI.

Tom Walker got a spot start for the Tigers (56-89) in the nightcap. He pitched six innings and only allowed one run. Rookie Ike Brookens (0-2) was tagged with the loss, surrendering the three runs in the seventh in just 1/3 inning.

Detroit has one more game left in Boston, where the Tigers are 1-6 this season.

Yastrzemski had three hits in each game, going 6-for-10 with three RBI.

The Major Said: "No lead is safe in this ballpark, and especially when you score five runs in the first and nothing afterward. That's a recipe for disaster against this team in this place. And they didn't hit the ball out of the ballpark in either game."

Game 1
Tigers 500 000 000  5-8-0
Boston 010 003 011  6-11-1

HR: Horton (DET, 24); Rodriguez (DET, 6)

WP: Drago
LP: Arroyo (3-2)

Game 2
Tigers 010 100 001  3-9-1
Boston 000 010 31x  5-12-0

HR: Horton (DET, 25)

WP: Pole
SV: Willoughby
LP: Brookens (0-2)

Tigers record: 56-89 (actual 55-90)
Home: 27-44
Away: 29-45
Last 10: 4-6