BOSTON (Interstat) — Pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida lined a single over a drawn-in, five-man infield with one out in the 10th inning Friday night, scoring automatic runner Jarren Duran from third base to give the Boston Red Sox a 1-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park.

The walk-off hit snapped Detroit’s six-game winning streak and delivered Boston a desperately needed win in a classic pitchers’ duel that saw both teams manage just four hits apiece.

The decisive 10th inning unfolded under Major League Baseball’s extra-innings rule. Duran began the frame at second base as the automatic runner. After Ceddanne Rafaela struck out swinging against Detroit reliever Will Vest, Marcelo Mayer worked a walk. That brought Yoshida off the bench to face the five-man alignment, and he delivered a sharp ground ball through the right side. Duran sprinted home easily, sliding across the plate ahead of the throw as the Red Sox poured out of the dugout to celebrate.

The most important sequence of the game, however, preceded the finale and preserved the deadlock. In the top of the ninth, with the game still scoreless, the Tigers mounted their most serious threat against Boston closer Aroldis Chapman. Javier Báez led off with a sharp single to right, and Gleyber Torres followed with a walk. After a forceout left runners at the corners with one out, Jahmai Jones ripped a double down the left-field line. Kevin McGonigle held at third, loading the bases. Chapman then bore down, striking out Dillon Dingler swinging on a high fastball before getting pinch-hitter Riley Greene to fly out harmlessly to right field, stranding all three runners and sending the game to the bottom of the ninth still tied.

The game was defined by the brilliant starting pitching performances. Boston’s Ranger Suarez, the top star for the Red Sox, was masterful over eight shutout innings. He allowed only two hits, both singles, walked none and struck out four. He retired the final 14 batters he faced and needed only 89 pitches, 62 for strikes, to navigate his outing. It continued a strong run for the left-hander, who tossed six scoreless innings against St. Louis in his previous start.

He was matched zero for zero by Detroit’s Casey Mize, who was nearly as sharp. Mize worked 6 2/3 innings, scattering three hits and two walks while striking out seven. His most challenging moment came in the sixth when Caleb Durbin doubled with one out and advanced to third on a flyout, but Mize stranded him by getting Willson Contreras to swing through a full-count pitch.

Both bullpens were flawless until the end. For Detroit, Kyle Finnegan, Brant Hurter and Vest combined for 2 1/3 perfect innings of relief before the 10th. Vest was charged with the loss, falling to 1-3. Boston’s Garrett Whitlock pitched a clean top of the 10th, striking out one, to earn the win and improve to 1-1.

The defensive play of the game came in the very first inning. After Kevin McGonigle and Jahmai Jones hit back-to-back singles, Jones was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a double on a strong relay from center fielder Rafaela to shortstop Mayer. The Red Sox successfully challenged the initial safe call, and the overturned double play helped Suarez escape the early jam.

Boston improved to 8-11 with the victory, while Detroit fell to .500 at 10-10. The game, played in a crisp 2 hours and 39 minutes before a crowd of 34,866, was the first of a four-game series between the clubs. The teams are scheduled to meet again Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 5-4 Detroit victory, though Boston was a slight favorite per advanced metrics. The combined one run fell dramatically under the over/under line of 8.