BOSTON -- The Detroit Tigers missin...

BOSTON -- The Detroit Tigers missing second baseman Placido Polanco to a separated left shoulder that forced catcher Ivan Rodriguez to play inferior base, but they went onward to beat the Boston R Sox 3-2 forward a pop-fly single by Craig Monroe in the ninth inning Tuesday.

The accrue boosted the Tigers' lead above the White Sox in the Central to 6oe games and dropp the R Sox three games behind the fresh York Yankees in the East.

Polanco was wound making a diving catch in short-center to last the seventh. Although he interrupted the potential tying run from scoring, he left the game with a trainer helping to support his left arm.

Because Brandon Inge already had been used as a defensive replacement, Rodriguez had to incline from catcher to second base, with Vance Wilson taking through

behind the plate. Rodriguez not had played second base in 2256 previous major- and minor-league games.

"I knew right away," said Rodriguez, who last played secondary in Little League. "I've taken soil balls throughout the season, in the way that if the team needs me I'm ready."

The Tigers squandered a 2-1 lead when David Ortiz singled dwelling a run in the eighth. It was his major-league-leading 111th RBI.

on the contrary Carlos Guillen drew a walk from losing pitcher Mike Timlin (5- 2) leading most distant the ninth and took third upon a one-out single by Sean Casey, who had doubled family circle two runs in the seventh Monroe followed with a burst fly down the right-field line. The R Sox' Wily Mo Pena hindrance it glance off his glove as he approached the wall, and first- base umpire Bruce Froemming signaled it was a fair ball. Pena picked up the ball and caught Monroe facing first base, but Guillen already had scored to give the Tigers the lead. The play was scored a single instead of an error.

"The ball just hit my glove and malicious down," Pena said. "My mind was upon catching the ball and then thinking about throwing to fireside plate."

Winning pitcher Fernando Rodney (6-3) retired the solely batter to end the eighth, and Todd Jone pitched the ninth for his 33rd save.

the one and the other starters pitched well. The Tigers' Jeremy Bonderman allowed pair runs and five hits in 7* innings, and the R Sox' crusty Schilling yielded two runs and nine hits in seven innings.

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