Crazy 8th caps Tigers’ home opener

After seven runs, five walks, two lead changes and a parade of futile pitching changes, the eighth inning finally ended at Comerica Park.

What the Tigers bullpen squandered, the Red Sox relievers gave right back.

JaCoby Jones drew a basesloaded walk in the bottom of the eighth, and the Tigers outlasted the flu-bitten Red Sox 6-5 on Friday to win their ninth straight home opener.

The Tigers allowed five runs in the top of the eighth, blowing a 4-0 lead in the process, but they scored twice in bottom half to reclaim the lead.

“Up and down the lineup, you had guys that were having good at-bats and passing the baton to the next guy,” said catcher James McCann, who hit a two-run homer in the seventh to help raise the Tigers’ lead. “That just builds chemistry, builds camaraderie among ourselves as a team.”

Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts were ill and out of the lineup for the Red Sox. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts and reliever Matt Barnes, who are on the bereavement list, also missed the game.

Whoever won this game was going to do so in spite of their bullpen.

Pablo Sandoval put the Red Sox ahead with a three-run homer off Francisco Rodriguez. Sandoval, who played in just three games last year before having shoulder surgery, hit a drive to left-center field on an 0-2 pitch for his first home run since Aug. 15, 2015.

With two outs and nobody on, Heath Hembree (0-1) walked two straight batters before Robby Scott allowed pinch-hitter Mikie Mahtook’s tying double. Joe Kelly then allowed consecutive walks to McCann and Jones, forcing in the go-ahead run.