BOSTON — Pinch-hitter Ceddanne Rafaela had a tiebreaking, two-run single in the seventh inning and the Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 8-6 on Monday in Boston’s annual Patriots’ Day game to salvage a split of their four-game series.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa also had a two-run single for the Red Sox, who halted a two-game skid.

The Tigers lost for just the second time in 10 games after taking the last two.

The game coincided with the running of the Boston Marathon. The Red Sox wore their special “Boston” home white jerseys, which debuted as a tribute to the city after the marathon bombings in 2013.

Boston starter Sonny Gray left in the third inning with right hamstring tightness.

Gray had just walked Gleyber Torres when he started bending down, stretching and bending his right leg. Pitching coach Andrew Bailey and catcher Carlos Narváez came out to visit.

Shortly after, manager Alex Cora and a trainer came out. Gray threw one warmup pitch and after a brief conversation, walked off the field.

“Sonny is going to get an MRI (Tuesday),” Cora said. “We don’t think it’s serious.”

Gray knew he wouldn’t be able to continue after testing the leg.

“I threw that last 3-2 pitch and I felt just like a grab to my right hamstring, something I’ve felt before,” he said. “I kind of knew what it was. I knew that I needed to at least throw a warmup pitch before I would feel comfortable continuing. … I threw a warmup pitch, same feeling, not a grab, more of like a tightness after that.”

He said he had right hamstring issues in 2022 and ’24.

“I’ve dealt with it for a while. Just managed it,” he said. “It just happens every now and then. It’s just something that I’m always having to monitor since the first time it happened.”

He was replaced by left-hander Danny Coulombe.

“In games like that, everybody has to be a part of it and contribute,” Cora said. “Today was like perfect.”

Garrett Whitlock (2-1), the sixth of eight Red Sox pitchers, worked a perfect inning for the victory. Aroldis Chapman got the last two outs for his fourth save.

Rafaela’s grounder off reliever Tyler Holton (0-1) put the Red Sox ahead 5-3. Rafaela advanced to second on a throw to the plate that cut down a runner, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Narváez’s single.

The Tigers had taken a 3-2 edge in the sixth on Jahmai Jones’ pinch-hit RBI single before the Red Sox tied it in the bottom half on Roman Anthony’s single.

Detroit starter Jack Flaherty lasted 3 1/3 innings, giving up two unearned runs and three hits. He walked six and had three strikeouts.

Gray gave up a run on three hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Up next

Tigers: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday when RHP Keider Montero (1-1, 3.31 ERA) is set to face Brewers LHP Kyle Harrison (1-1, 3.07) in the opener of a three-game series.

Red Sox: Begin a three-game series against the Yankees on Tuesday with LHP Connelly Early (1-0, 2.29) set to face New York’s RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 7.00).