DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers insisted they were not concerned about their worst skid of the year a few hours before playing the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox in a rematch of the AL championship series. Detroit later showed it still has what it takes to win with strong pitching, big hits and usually sound defence. Ian Kinsler and Torii Hunter hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning and Victor Martinez cleared the fences in the eighth, helping Detroit beat Boston 6-2 and end a season-high five-game losing streak Friday. "This was a good night for everyone," Drew Smyly said after pitching six strong innings. Detroit had lost 13 of 17 games, including the previous four, since sweeping the Red Sox on the road a few weeks ago. "Ive spoken to players a couple times over this stretch," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Theres no reason to throw a fit unless its a lack of effort or concentration. This stretch has not been caused by a lack of concentration or effort." Smyly (3-4) snapped a skid of his own. He was 0-2 in his last two starts, giving up a total of nine runs over nine innings, and was 0-3 in his previous six outings. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits over six innings and struck out four, walking only one against the Red Sox. "He was locating his pitches and keeping us off balance," Boston centre fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. said after going 0 for 3 with three strikeouts. "He had command on both sides of the plate." Rubby De La Rosa, meanwhile, paid a steep price for letting some pitches sail too high. De La Rosa (1-1) gave up four runs, nine hits and two walks. He had five strikeouts over 5 2-3 innings. In his first start of the season, he threw seven scoreless innings against Tampa Bay last week. "I feel almost 100 per cent like last time," De La Rosa said. "I just missed more pitches." Boston has lost four straight after winning seven in a row. The Red Sox are averaging fewer than three runs during the losing streak. "Offensively, were scuffling," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Weve had a rough go with runners in scoring position." The Red Sox hope to end a trend this weekend. In their last seven series, they been swept four times and have won each game in the other three matchups. "We became so accustomed to being consistent," Farrell said. "The last two and a half weeks have been difficult." Kinsler and Hunter cleared the fences during a three-pitch sequence in the fifth, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead. "They squared (De La Rosa) up when he was up in the strike zone," Farrell said. The Red Sox pulled within two runs in the sixth when Dustin Pedroia reached on Romines throwing error, advanced to third on David Ortizs single through the right side against a shifted infield and scored on Jonny Gomes sacrifice fly. Detroits Ian Krol and Joba Chamberlain each threw an inning of scoreless relief and Joe Nathan pitched the ninth in a non-save situation. NOTES: Tigers C Alex Avila is expected to miss Saturdays game after being hit in the head by Ortizs backswing in the eighth inning, and being replaced by Bryan Holaday. "Hes in a good humour, but he got stung pretty good," Ausmus said. ... Red Sox hitting coach Greg Colbrunn is expected to stay hospitalized in Cleveland for at least another week after he had bleeding in the area between his brain and the thin tissues covering it. Tim Hyers, Bostons minor league hitting co-ordinator, is filling in for Colbrunn while hes away from the team indefinitely. ... Tigers SS Eugenio Suarez was held out of the lineup to rest his sore left knee and Ausmus said he is "hour to hour," when asked for timetable on his return. ... The Tigers will send RHP Max Scherzer (6-2) to the mound against Red Sox LHP Jon Lester (6-6) on Saturday in a nationally televised game. ... Boston RHP Clay Buchholz (left knee) is scheduled to throw a simulated game Saturday in Detroit, where Mike Napoli, who is on the DL with a sprained left finger, is expected to hit against him. Cheap Air Max Plus China . The club announced on Wednesday that Malhotra signed a 25-game professional tryout contract. The 33-year-old suffered a serious eye injury when struck by a puck during a game versus Colorado in March of 2011. Air Max Plus Wholesale . Jannero Pargo scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to help the Charlotte Bobcats erase a 21-point deficit and rally for an 83-76 preseason victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night. http://www.clearanceairmaxplus.com/ . Got Jacks? Pulling off a comeback for the ages, feisty Stephen F. Austin became the latest No. 12 seed to pull off an upset, tying the game on Desmond Haymons did-that-just-happen four-point play with 3. Cheap Air Max Plus .Y. -- It was as if Matt Moulson never left the New York Islanders. Air Max Plus Clearance . Louis Cardinals, the team will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the opening of the SkyDome. Jays legends Jimmy Key and Ernie Whitt, members of playoff and World Series-winning teams of the past, will be on hand for the festivities to look back at what was the beginning of the Jays halcyon years.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Right-hander Mark Prior has been released from the Cincinnati Reds organization, ending his latest comeback attempt. Prior went to spring training on a minor league contract. He had a 4.66 ERA in seven relief appearances for Triple-A Louisville, but last pitched April 21 because of a right shoulder strain. The 32-year-old Prior last pitched in the majors in 2006, a year before reconstructivve shoulder surgery.dddddddddddd Hes also pitched in the Texas, Boston and New York Yankees minor league systems. Reds manager Dusty Baker was Priors manager with the Chicago Cubs from 2004-06. Prior told Baker he was treated excellent and will go home, rest and maybe try again depending "on if his arm comes back" Baker said Friday he was hoping Prior could help the Reds this season. ' ' '