Detroit Tigers defeat Boston Red Sox, 2-0

The Red Sox thought they had a chance against Justin Verlander in the eighth inning yesterday.

Jacoby Ellsbury stood on second base after a leadoff double. Two runs would tie the game. The Fenway Park crowd, silent all day, like Boston’s offense, rose to its feet.

The scene was real, the opportunity was a mirage, and only Verlander knew.

On his 122d and 123d pitches, the final ones he threw, Verlander fired 100-mile-per-hour, letter-high fastballs toward Jason Bay. O...