ALCS Game 4: Tigers find their offense and get even with 7-3 victory

(AP)

The Detroit Tigers broke out of a big offensive chill, scoring five runs in the second inning Wednesday night against the Boston Red Sox on their way to a 7-3 victory to even the American League Championship Series at two games apiece.

• Tigers manager Jim Leyland shook up the batting order and it paid off (or at least it worked out), shuffling Austin Jackson down to eighth, moving Torii Hunter to leadoff and Miguel Cabrera to second. They went a combined to go 5 for 11 with six RBIs

• Coming in 3 for 33 with 18 strikeouts in the playoffs, Jackson went 2 for 2 with a run scored and two RBIs. His bases-loaded walk opened the scoring in the bottom of the second.

• Hunter's two-run double with two outs in the big second inning gave Detroit some room to breathe.

• Jacoby Ellsbury had four hits, including a triple.

(AP)

• In typical Doug Fister fashion, he allowed a run, eight hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out seven. Fister came in with a 3.19 ERA in 42 1/3 career postseason innings.

(Getty)

Jake Peavy has had better days. He allowed seven runs, five hits and three walks over three-plus innings. Peavy has a 10.31 ERA in four career postseason starts.

(AP)

Dustin Pedroia's inability to cleanly handle a grounder by Jose Iglesias with the bases loaded probably cost the Red Sox an inning-ending double play in the second. A run scored on the play to make it 2-0 Detroit and three more crossed the plate after that. It should be noted that the Red Sox might have been lucky to get one out after the Pedroia bobble, thanks to the old "neighborhood play" call by the umpires.

• Secondary: David Ortiz came to bat in the ninth unable to tie the score with a home run.

Tigers starting pitchers — Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Fister — have allowed three earned runs and have struck out 42 in 27 innings over four games.

• Offense! After both teams combined for 13 runs in the first three games, the Tigers batters loosened up. The Red Sox finished with 12 hits after coming in 12 for 90 in the series.

• Order! Jim Leyland's lineup magic.

• Oh, my! Cabrera stealing second base in the fourth inning after collecting his second hit of the game. He's 12 of 14 stealing, including postseason, since 2011.

• The Red Sox not scoring runs, but at least getting hits.

Game 5 from Detroit happens Thursday night, with left-hander Jon Lester facing Sanchez in a pitching rematch of Game 1.

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