Nava & Bard Help Lead Sox Past Tigers, Verlander and .500

Daniel Nava (pictured) ripped a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the 4th inning, and Daniel Bard threw 5 reasonably strong innings as the Red Sox shaved the Detroit Tigers 6-3 at Fenway Park to move above the .500 mark for the 1st time this season. Bard pitched one out into the 6th inning in recording his 5th win of the season. He allowed 2 runs on a pair of solo home runs by Jhonny Peralta and Prince Fielder. He struck out 4 and walked 2. More importantly, he showed much better velocity, registering 95 a few times on the Fenway Park radar gun.

Alfredo Aceves earned his 12th save of the season.

The Daniel Nava story keeps having new chapters written. With the Sox leading 1-0 in the bottom of the 4th, he laced a bases-loaded 100mph fastball by Tigers starter Justin Verlander into the leftfield corner scoring all 3 runs to put Boston ahead 4-0. This from a player who wasn't even on the team's 40-man roster when the team reported to spring training.

NOTES - Dustin Pedroia was out of the lineup with a sore thumb. Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine told the media that it was a lingering problem and not the result of a diving stop during Monday's game.

Carl Crawford is about 10 days away from beginning a throwing program.

David Ortiz put up a 4-hit game inclduing his 11th home run of the season, a solo shot into the front row of the Monster seats.

The game was held up by rain for 38 minutes.

Boston has now won 13 of its last 18 games.