Tigers light up Beckett, end road trip with win

BOSTON — Max Scherzer and Delmon Young helped the Detroit Tigers head home on a positive note.

Scherzer pitched into the seventh inning, Young homered and the Tigers beat the Boston Red Sox 7-3 on Thursday night to avoid a four-game series sweep.

Detroit went 10-14 during a grueling stretch of 19 of 24 on the road and return home to open a three-game series against the New York Yankees on Friday night.

"Going on the road sometimes is a good thing for the bonding aspect, but it will be nice to get back to Comerica (Park)" Scherzer said. "We didn't want to get swept."

Scherzer (5-3) retired nine consecutive batters before Nick Punto led off the seventh with a walk, forcing the right-hander from the game after 117 pitches. He allowed three runs and seven hits in his third consecutive victory, closing out a strong May.

"We just let him off the hook," Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine said. "Heck, we had his pitch count up in the 80s after four innings and we were having good at-bats. Just kind of let it slip away."

Beckett had allowed three runs in 21? innings over his previous three starts, but he struggled once again with the Tigers. He gave up seven runs, including five home runs, in 4? innings on opening day in Detroit.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Rockies 11, Astros 5

In Denver, Carlos Gonzalez homered again, Michael Cuddyer and Jordan Pacheco had three hits apiece, and the Rockies beat the Astros.

Brewers 6, Dodgers 2

In Los Angeles, Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Gomez each hit a two-run homer, Zack Greinke pitched effectively for six innings and Milwaukee completed the four-game sweep.

Brewers leadoff man Norichika Aoki finished 0-for-5.

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