Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox sent the Detroit Tigers a subtle message on Wednesday night after winning the last two games of the series against the defending AL champs in a 20-4 rout, and increasing their lead for the league’s best overall record.
Don’t make plans for the World Series yet.
While the Tigers remain the favorites among many MLB observers to go to the World Series for the second straight season, there’s a good chance they will have to go through Boston and Fenway Park, which won’t be an easy task for Detroit.
But, the Tigers have won on the road in the playoffs the past two seasons, and playing in Fenway in October will be different than in September.
A healthier Miguel Cabrera will make a difference perhaps, but Ortiz and his Red Sox teammates showed in Wednesday’s rout that they also know how to score some runs. Ortiz had two home runs in Wednesday’s rout, and the Red Sox bats exploded for eight overall. That kind of power display is rather impressive, although Tigers starter Rick Porcello is not likely to see starting action in the playoffs.
Still, it’s the most home runs in one game Detroit has allowed in team history.
For the Tigers, it was definitely a humbling experience, but one that happens a few times in a 162-game schedule. The Red Sox can feel good they took two of three from Detroit, but if the two teams meet in the playoffs, that’s when the series that will really count. The 20-4 game on September 4 will have been long forgotten.
John Raffel is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JohnCarlRaffel, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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