Tigers edge Red Sox in opener

New Detroit slugger has sac fly, Jackson gets game-winning hit in bottom of the 9th

Carlos Osorio / AP

The Detroit Tigers' Prince Fielder hits a single during the second inning.

By NOAH TRISTER

updated 6:13 p.m. ET April 5, 2012

DETROIT - Justin Verlander was brilliant on the mound and Prince Fielder drove in a key run with his bat. Still, after a rare slip by Jose Valverde, the Detroit Tigers were all tied with Boston in the bottom of the ninth.

Up stepped Austin Jackson - Detroit's strikeout-prone leadoff man - needing only a little poke through the infield to win the game.

Jackson delivered, hitting a sharp groundball past third with the bases loaded to give the Tigers a 3-2 win over the Red Sox in Thursday's opener.

It was Jackson's third hit of the game, and it enabled his team to leave the ballpark happy on a day Verlander once again looked impressive.

"I get the strikeout questions a lot, but it doesn't bother me. I understand," said Jackson, who fanned 351 times in his first two big league seasons. "I stayed with the approach as far as just putting the ball in play, and it worked out."

Verlander, last year's AL MVP and Cy Young winner, was dominant for eight innings and left with a 2-0 lead. But Valverde (1-0) blew a save for the first time in 52 chances, a streak that included 49 in a row last season.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland sounded almost relieved after Valverde's first blown save since 2010.

"When I say this, I mean it: In a way, I'm glad that streak's over," Leyland said. "It puts that behind us and we can just go forward."

Boston manager Bobby Valentine lost in his return to the major leagues after replacing Terry Francona following the team's 7-20 September slide that cost the Red Sox a playoff spot last year.

"There was a lot I saw that I liked. Lester was terrific. He did just what he needed to do," Valentine said. "Verlander was very good. A lot of pitches on the outside corner were perfect pitches. We knew he was good and he's still good if anyone is wondering."

Valentine brought in Mark Melancon (0-1) to start the Detroit ninth, and he allowed one-out singles to Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avila.

Alfredo Aceves entered and hit Ramon Santiago with a pitch, and Jackson came through with a single past diving third baseman Nick Punto to win it.

Fielder singled his first time up for the AL Central champions and added a sacrifice fly in the eighth after Jackson had tripled.

Verlander walked one and struck out seven. It was his fifth consecutive opening day start - and fourth no-decision. Verlander has had problems in April throughout his career.

"This was the best opening day I've had, and hopefully that goes toward all the hard work I've been putting in to get off to a better start," he said. "Long way to go, but it's good to get that first one under your belt and have it be a good one."

David Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly off Valverde, and Ryan Sweeney's two-out triple off the wall in the right-field corner tied it.

Boston's Jon Lester allowed a run and six hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked three.

Detroit put a runner on base in every inning but didn't score until the seventh, when Peralta and Avila hit doubles with two outs.

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