DETROIT — Little by little, different areas are beginning to jell for the Red Sox.
In a 4-3 victory over the Tigers yesterday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader split, David Ortiz’s stroke returned to pre-2008 form as he hit a pinch homer in the ninth inning off Jose Valverde.
The Sox’ outfield defense was excellent, with Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury covering plenty of ground, getting to balls in the gaps very quickly and limiting extra-base hits.
And while we tend to dwell on the offense, the starting pitching has been excellent lately, and, in the end, the pitching will make or break this team.
Ortiz’s homer was not only dramatic, it was another sign that he has found himself. He started the game on the bench because young lefty Andy Oliver was on the mound and Kevin Youkilis got the nod as the designated hitter.
In a 3-3 game in the ninth, manager Terry Francona had the benefit of having both J.D. Drew and Ortiz available, so he used both. Drew hit for Mike Cameron and flied out and Ortiz hit for Jarrod Saltalamacchia and delivered his blast to right-center.
Ortiz has had more than his share of late-game heroics, although they have been less frequent over the past two years.
In his only other at-bat against Valverde, Ortiz had hit a grand slam, so the decision by Francona was sound in theory and in practice.
Ortiz delivered his fourth career pinch homer, the last coming April 27, 2003, in Anaheim against the Angels — which also happened to be his first of 302 homers with the Red Sox.
Ortiz hasn’t had to pinch hit very often being the primary DH for the Sox since 2003. When the Sox take on interleague rivals Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Houston on the road, Ortiz will have to get used to the role more.
Ortiz was asked whether he still takes ground balls at first base, and he responded, “I can’t even find my glove.’’
In spring training, Ortiz decided that with Adrian Gonzalez on the team there would be few chances for him to get in a game at first, and he’s probably right. Gonzalez likes to play every day, and it seems far-fetched that Francona might sit Gonzalez in favor of Ortiz even once or twice. Ortiz realizes his opportunities will come as a pinch hitter in those interleague situations.
“It’s pretty much what I do anyway,’’ Ortiz said. “I sit and then I come up and hit four times a game, so pinch hitting for me is no different than what I do. I know that I’m going to have to do more of it in those [interleague] games, and I just want to do the best I can when I have those opportunities.
“Today I was able to get my pitch to hit and I hit it a long way. That’s what I’d like to keep doing.’’
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