Plenty of Papi left: Ortiz passes three HOF'ers with career-best 7 RBI
David Ortiz was touched by watching the Hall of Fame induction speeches. He then went out and added another big night to his illustrious career.
Big Papi homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to an 11-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night.
"Today was a day that emotions were going all over the place," the 39-year-old Ortiz said. "I was watching the inductions. I'm not going to lie to you. It was very emotional."
Ortiz, who had two three-run homers and an RBI single, and Xander Bogaerts each had four of the season-high 20 hits by the Red Sox.
"Big night for David and a big night for us offensively overall," manager John Farrell said. "David was all over the baseball with two beautiful swings with the two three-run homers."
Ortiz was especially touched by fellow countryman and teammate Pedro Martinez's induction. The pair played on Boston's 2004 team that ended an 86-year World Series title drought.
"Pedro, I got tears coming out when I hear Pedro talking because I know the man," Ortiz said.
Farrell believes it may have sparked Ortiz.
"Maybe it's somewhat fitting for Boston baseball today with Pedro's induction and David with the seven RBIs as he climbs up higher on the all-time list," he said.
Ortiz passed three Hall of Famers to claim 38th place on the all-time RBI list with 1,587, passing Rogers Hornsby, Harmon Killebrew and former Tiger great Al Kaline.
"I don't know if he's slowing down or not," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "But he was fine tonight. He looked like David Ortiz of the last 15 years."
Boston won for just the second time 11 games -- with both victories coming in this series.
Nick Castellanos hit a solo homer for the second straight day for the struggling Tigers, who have lost six of nine.
Eduardo Rodriguez (6-3) rebounded from a miserable start by pitching seven strong innings.
Ortiz's first homer cleared Detroit's bullpen, sailing into the right-field bleachers to snap a 1-all tie in the fifth. He had an RBI single an inning later and belted his second homer -- the 485th of his career -- into the Green Monster seats in the seventh, taking a curtain call from the crowd when he got to the dugout.
Rodriguez allowed one run on three hits, striking out six and walking one. He gave up seven runs in just 1 2/3 innings in his previous start Monday against the Los Angeles Angels.
Shane Greene (4-8) didn't make it out of the fifth inning for the third straight start since being recalled from Triple-A Toledo. He gave up five runs -- four in the fifth -- on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings.
"Nothing changed," Greene said. "I made a mistake to one of the best left-handed hitters in the game and I paid for it."
Mike Napoli chased Greene with a a ground-rule, RBI double, making it 5-1.
The Red Sox pushed it to 8-1 in the sixth against reliever Kyle Ryan on RBI singles by Ortiz, Pablo Sandoval and Napoli.
Castellanos homered leading off the fifth, hitting a drive into the center-field seats.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: 1B Miguel Cabrera, on the 15-day DL since July 4 with a strained left calf, ran on an antigravity treadmill before the game. Ausmus said he'll take BP before the team opens a three-game series on the road against Tampa Bay on Monday. ... RHP Alfredo Simon, who left Saturday's win with a slight groin injury, will work on the bike instead of jogging as he gets ready for his next start.
Red Sox: 2B Brock Holt tweaked his left leg rounding first after his first-inning single and stayed in until leaving with the team called "tightness" in the left knee in the sixth.
MONSTER VIEW
The ESPN Sunday Night crew called the game from the Monster seats, and Ortiz's second homer sailed a few feet from their spot.
SLUMP ENDED
Sandoval snapped an 0-for-19 stretch with a single in the second.
UP NEXT
Tigers: RHP Anibal Sanchez (10-7) is slated to start the opener of a three-game set Monday against Tampa Bay's RHP Nathan Karns (5-5).
Red Sox: RHP Joe Kelley (2-6) is scheduled to make his second start since being recalled from the minors Monday when Boston begins a four-game series at Fenway Park against John Danks (5-8) and the Chicago White Sox.
