Sun 9-24-72: Bos 3, DET 2

Boston, MA- Carlton Fisk led off the ninth inning with a solo homer, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tigers, 3-2 at Fenway Park.

The Tigers and Red Sox split the four-game weekend series, and Boston moved back to two games behind the Tigers for first place in the AL East.

The Red Sox took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning with a rally that started with two outs and nobody on base. Reggie Smith doubled home Luis Aparicio.

But the Tigers (86-62) tied the game in the ninth inning on a Jim Northrup single, which plated Willie Horton, who smacked a pinch-hit double. The Tigers then loaded the bases, but couldn't score another run.

Fisk blasted the first pitch he saw from reliever Chuck Seelbach (3-5) over the Green Monster in left for the game winner for Boston (83-63).

The Tigers' magic number to clinch the division remained at seven.

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DET 000 100 001 2-6-0
BOS 010 000 011* 3-9-0

*One out when winning run scored.

WP: Newhauser
LP: Seelbach (3-5)
HR: Fisk (BOS)

Tigers overall: 86-62
Home: 39-31
Away: 47-31
Last 10: 6-4

Sat 9-23-72: DET 5, Bos 2

Boston, MA- The Tigers scored four runs in the sixth inning, erasing a 1-0 deficit, and went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox, 5-2, at Fenway Park.

The victory pushed the Tigers' lead in the AL East back up to three games over Boston.

Mickey Lolich (23-12) pitched his 22nd complete game, scattering nine hits, walking three and striking out four. Sonny Siebert started and took the loss for Boston.

Aurelio Rodriguez's two-run single was the key hit in Detroit's four-run sixth.

Al Kaline added a solo homer (9) in the seventh inning.

The Tigers (86-61) reduced their magic number to seven over Boston (82-63).

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DET 000 004 100 5-6-0
BOS 100 000 100 2-9-1

WP: Lolich (23-12)
LP: Siebert
HR: Kaline (DET; 9)

Tigers overall: 86-61
Home: 39-31
Away: 47-30

Fri 9-22-72: Bos 4, DET 3 (10 inn)

Boston, MA- Reggie Smith's double to deep left-center field scored Carl Yastrzemski from first base in the tenth inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Tigers, 4-3, to square this big four-game weekend series.

The win drew the Red Sox (82-62) back to within two games of the Tigers (85-61).

The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the fourth inning, but the Red Sox scored single runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth innings to tie the game.

Tom Timmermann took the loss for the Tigers in relief. Bobby Bolin got the win for Boston.

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Tigers overall: 85-61
Home: 39-31
Away: 46-30
Last 10: 6-4

Thu 9-21-72: DET 7, Bos 6

Boston, MA- In the first of a huge four-game series at Fenway Park with first place in the AL East on the line, the Tigers held on to beat the Boston Red Sox, 7-6, and in the process increased their lead over second place Boston to three games.

The Tigers scored four runs in the first inning and kept the Red Sox at bay, despite three Boston homers.

Carlton Fisk's two-run shot in the fourth inning made the score 4-2, but the Tigers answered with a Bill Freehan solo homer in the fifth. Luis Aparicio hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth, and the score was 5-3, Detroit.

An unearned run in the eighth by Detroit made the score 6-3, but in the bottom of the frame, Carl Yastrzemski slugged a two-run homer to bring the Red Sox within one run.

The Tigers (85-60) tacked on a run in the ninth, which was a good thing, because Boston scored a run in the bottom of the ninth as well.

Joe Coleman (20-11) picked up his 20th victory, relieved by Chris Zachary after eight innings.

Ray Culp took the loss for Boston (81-62), which committed three errors.

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DET 400 010 011 7-7-0
BOS 000 210 021 6-6-3

WP: Coleman (20-11)
SV: Zachary (7)
LP: Culp
HR: Freehan (DET; 19); Fisk (BOS); Aparicio (BOS); Yastrzemski (BOS)

Tigers overall: 85-60
Home: 39-31
Away: 46-29
Last 10: 6-4

UPDATE

Been kinda slacking on the write-ups, but not the games! The Tigers are 82-59 after taking two of three from the Brewers in Milwaukee. After losing Saturday, the Tigers' lead in the AL East was down to one game (81-59; Boston was 79-59 after going on an 18-6 streak while the Tigers were going 9-12), But Detroit won Sunday, 9-0, and the Red Sox lost. The Tigers were off Monday, September 18 while the Red Sox lost to Baltimore. So the lead going into tonight's (Tuesday's) action is 2.5 games. The Tigers are in Cleveland for a twi-night DH tonight. 

Sun 9-10-72: NY 2, DET 0

Detroit, MI- Mel Stottlemyre pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout, and the New York Yankees beat the reeling Tigers for a second consecutive time, 2-0, at Tiger Stadium.

Mickey Lolich (21-11) pitched eight innings and both runs he gave up in the fourth inning were unearned, thanks to an Aurelio Rodriguez throwing error.

The loss, combined with Boston sweeping a doubleheader from Cleveland, means the Tigers' lead in the East Division is down to a mere two games, when it had been as much as nine games less than two weeks ago.

The Tigers have lost six of their past eight games.

Ed Brinkman had two of the Tigers' three singles. Norm Cash had the other.

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NY 000 200 000 2-4-0
DET 000 000 000 0-3-1

WP: Stottlemyre
LP: Lolich (21-11)

Tigers overall: 79-56
Home: 38-29
Away: 41-27
Last 10: 3-7

Sat 9-9-72: NY 5, DET 4

Detroit, MI- The New York Yankees stunned the Tigers with three runs in the ninth inning, capped by a two-run homer by light-hitting Gene Michael, in winning 5-4 at Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers (79-55) scored all four of their runs, two unearned, in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead.

Michael delivered a sacrifice fly in the seventh to make the score 4-2.

In the ninth, Johnny Callison led off with a home run to make it 4-3, Detroit. One out later, Bernie Allen singled, knocking Tigers starter Joe Coleman out of the game in favor of John Hiller. But Hiller promptly surrendered Michael's opposite field homer to right field, just over the wall.

Sparky Lyle pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn the save. Reliever Jim Roland got the victory. Roland took over for Rob Gardner, who pitched six innings for the Yanks, who won the game despite committing five errors.

Mickey Stanley had three hits and two RBI for Detroit.

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NY 100 000 103 5-12-5

DET 000 004 000 4-9-0

WP: Roland

SV: Lyle

LP: Hiller (5-7)

HR: Callison (NY); Michael (NY)

Tigers overall: 79-55

Home: 38-28

Away: 41-27

Lat 10: 4-6