Boston (53-33) was playing the wrong odds too many times and their luck finally ended and caught up with them in the bottom of the 13th.
Ivan Rodriguez singled home the game winner off of Jonathan Papelbon, but the Red Sox flirted with disaster in the 10th and 11th getting out of bases loaded jams in both innings.
Papelbon relieved Javier Lopez in the 13th and hit the leadoff batter, Gary Sheffield, to start the inning who later stole second base. The best two out hitting team came through again as Rodriguez drove him in giving Papelbon his second loss of the season.
David Ortiz started out the game with his 14th homerun of the season of off Tigers (51-34) starter Jeremy Bonderman giving the Red Sox an early 2-0 lead.