Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - David Ortiz's pinch-hit home run during the ninth inning lifted the Boston Red Sox to a 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers in the first tilt of a double-header that will finish out a four-game set.
Ortiz improved his hitting record against Detroit's closer Jose Valverde (2-2), to 2-for-2 with two home runs and gave the Red Sox their fifth straight victory.
Mike Cameron and Dustin Pedroia each had solo shots while Matt Albers (1-2) got the win with hitless seventh and eighth innings. Jonathan Papelbon recorded his 10th save of the season, retiring all three batters in the ninth.
Andy Dirks and Brennan Boesch collected home runs for Detroit, which has dropped eight of its last 11.
The double-dip was made necessary when Saturday's contest was postponed by rain. For the Tigers, it marked the fourth time in nine scheduled home tilts that a game had been postponed.