Tigers are Done, And Kotsay (For a Day) Impersonates Adam: Sox Win 6-4

Who says the Sox needed Adam Dunn?  Today, at least, their current DH, Mark Kotsay, did the job and then some.  The Sox probably don't win this game without Mark Kotsay.  First, Kotsay homered in the top of the 9th to give the Sox a 4-1 lead.  Then, in the top of the 11th Kotsay tripled (!!!), scoring the eventual winning runs after Lillibridge and Jones had singled earlier in the inning.  Kotsay had a .497 WPA on the day, wowzers.

via www.fangraphs.com

Kotsay's heroics overcame the again inept  Bobby Jenks, who despite throwing 97 MPH had little control and blew the should-have-been-enough three run lead in the 9th by hanging a breaking ball to one of Detroit's many fungible, Caucasian utility guys, Ryan Rayburn.

More after the jump.

Earlier in the afternoon, it was another quality start for Freddy Garcia, who hit 67 MPH on the gun with his breaking stuff and rarely topped 87 with his "fast" ball.  Yea.  Don't ask me how he's getting it done, but he's somehow having success.  Sweaty Freddy has now given the Sox over 114 innings of league average starting.  That's been a huge boost.  A steady diet of breaking balls had the Tigers' anemic lineup off tilt.  Freddy wisely stayed well away from Miguel Cabrera, who is reminding me much of the early 90's Frank Thomas:  he's a threat to take someone's head off every time he's up there.

Thornton and Putz bridged it to Bobby, who again, quickly burned the bridge, fell in the water, and shit all over himself in the process.

But for one day at least, Mark Kotsay came up huge from the DH spot to bail out Bobby,  and Sergio Santos, looking every bit like next year's closer, came in and easily shut down the Tigers over the last two innings to earn his first major league victory.

With the victory the Sox remain 1.5 (two in the loss column) games up on the Twinkies, who papercutted the Rays to death yet again at Tropicana.  The loss for Detroit moves them to nine back and two under .500.  Their season is effectively over, barring a remarkable turnaround. 

On to Baltimore, where anything less than three of four will be a disappointment.  Such is life as a 1st place team.  I think we'll all take it.