Baseball: Lackey wins pitching battle as Red Sox edge Tigers

Boston's John Lackey struck out eight and did not allow a walk against Detroit. Photo / AP

John Lackey edged Justin Verlander in the latest duel of these pitching-rich Major League baseball playoffs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 1-0 yesterday for a 2-1 lead in the American League championship series.

Mike Napoli homered in the seventh inning off Verlander, and Detroit's attempt at a rally fell short in the eighth when Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder both struck out with runners on base.

Despite three straight gems by their starting pitchers, the Tigers suddenly trail in a best-of-seven series they seemed to have complete control of only two days ago. Game 4 is today at Comerica Park, with Jake Peavy scheduled to start for the Red Sox against Doug Fister.

Lackey allowed four hits in 6 2-3 innings, striking out eight without a walk in a game that was delayed 17 minutes in the second inning because lights on the stadium towers went out.

It was the second 1-0 game in this match-up between the highest-scoring teams in the majors. That's been the theme throughout these playoffs, which have included four 1-0 scores and seven shutouts in the first 26 games.

After rallying from a five-run deficit to even the series in Game 2, Boston came away with a win in Detroit against one of the game's best pitchers. The Tigers had a chance for their own comeback in the eighth when Austin Jackson drew a one-out walk and Torii Hunter followed with a single.

But Cabrera, who failed to reach base for the first time in 32 post-season games for the Tigers, never looked comfortable against Junichi Tazawa, swinging and missing at the first two offerings and eventually chasing an outside pitch for strike three.

Fielder was even more over-matched against Koji Uehara, striking out on three pitches.

Uehara also pitched the ninth for a save, ensuring that Lackey's fine performance wouldn't go to waste.

Lackey pitched poorly his first two seasons in Boston after signing an $82.5 million, five-year contract in December 2009. Then he missed all of 2012 following elbow ligament-replacement surgery.

He's been better this season, and he kept the Tigers off balance yesterday by effectively changing speeds.

In the past two games, the Tigers have started Verlander and 21-game winner Max Scherzer and the Red Sox won both.

Throw in Anibal Sanchez's outstanding effort in the opener, when the Red Sox managed only a ninth-inning single in a 1-0 loss, and Detroit's three starters in the ALCS have combined to allow two runs and six hits with 35 strikeouts in 21 innings.

Still, the Tigers have fallen behind because their bullpen blew a four-run lead late in Game 2 and the attack came up empty at home yesterday.

•Matt Holliday blasted a 403-foot homer and Shane Robinson hit a pinch-hit solo shot as the St Louis Cardinals beat Los Angeles 4-2 yesterday in game four of the NLCS.

Holliday's monster shot into left field in the third inning was the first home run of the series for the Cardinals who now lead 3-1 as they try to reach their second World Series in three years. The Cardinals can advance with a victory over the Dodgers today.

- AP