BOSTON-- Here are Saturday's Talking Points after the Tigers beat the Red Sox, 5-1.
BATTER OF THE GAME: Nick Castellanos
The Tigers may be without their starting third baseman in Miguel Cabrera, but they still got the type of production he supplies on Saturday. Castellanos, who started at third base, went 2-for-4 with a home run and ground-rule double, accounting for three of the Tigers' five runs.
His double in the fourth inning made it a 4-0 game, and his home run made it 5-1. That was more than enough for the Tigers.
STARTERS REPORT: Not a good day for Steven Wright on the mound. The fact that he didn't have his best stuff was compounded by the fact that Blake Swihart couldn't catch his knuckler. Wright allowed four runs, but only two of them were earned thanks in part to the four passed balls by Swihart. Still, Wright couldn't get much consistency out of his pitch today and he paid for it.
Simon, on the other hand, had to come into this game as one of the worst pitchers in baseball over his last six starts. Since June 20, Simon's ERA was 10.16. So what did he do on Saturday in Boston? Oh, just pitch 6.0 innings of one-run ball. He would have pitched longer but left due to injury during the first at-bat of the 6th inning.
BIG PLAY: What could have come of the second inning, we'll never know. We do know this: David Ortiz should not have been waved home with Yoenis Cespedes coming up throwing. Ortiz doubled to lead off the inning. When Hanley Ramriez singled to left field in the next at-bat, Butterfield sent Ortiz home. He was out at the plate by a mile. Instead of men on second and third with no outs, there was a man on second and one out. The Sox didn't score that inning, and still trailed 2-0. That was an inning they should have at least scored one.
Boston Red Sox
WHAT I LIKED: Two solid innings of relief for Justin Masterson, who looks like he's pretty comfortable coming out of the bullpen for the Sox. They could certainly use all the help they can get in there.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Tough day behind the plate for Blake Swihart. It's not easy catching a knuckleball, but it hasn't been much of an issue this season for Sox catchers. Today, it was. Four passed balls for Swihart, some of which indirectly led to runs.
WHAT'S NEXT: We've got ourselves a nice little Sunday Night Baseball game to look forward to tomorrow night. Who cares that it's two non-playoff teams playing against each other?! Eduardo Rodriguez will take on Shane Greene (4-7, 6.52).