Dixon's first trip to Fenway proves memorable

BOSTON -- Brandon Dixon took a walk around the outfield when the Tigers arrived at Fenway Park on Monday. It was his first time at the historic ballpark, and he wanted to get a good look at the Green Monster in left field.

"It's awesome," Dixon said prior to Monday's rainout. "But at the end of the day, you're playing a game. … The more simple you keep it, the easier it is."

The following day, Dixon made hitting appear easy. During Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader, the first baseman connected for two doubles and three RBIs in the Tigers' 4-2 win to complete a twin bill sweep. They took the afternoon opener, 7-4, for their first doubleheader sweep at Fenway Park in 54 years.

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"I think the bigger you make it, the harder it's going to be," Dixon said. "For me, I'm just trying to have fun and play baseball."

Dixon's three-run double down the left-field line with the bases loaded in the fourth inning drove in Jeimer Candelario, Miguel Cabrera and Niko Goodrum. Dixon was thrown out going for a triple, but the hit gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

Two innings later, Dixon doubled again into left field. Dixon nearly made it a three-peat of doubles in the eighth, but he was called out sliding into second after the Red Sox challenged the initial call of safe.

"He's swinging really good," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "That's good. We need guys to pick each other up. We didn't have a ton of hits, but his came at big times."

Dixon said he wasn't trying to pull the ball. In fact, he finds he can end up with the opposite result when he thinks about it too much.

"I was just getting good pitches to hit and putting good swings on it," he said. "It's pretty much as simple as that."

The Tigers selected Dixon off waivers from the Reds this past November. He made his debut with the team on Sunday, going 2-for-3 with an RBI against the White Sox. Just two days later, he looks like he is settling in quickly. Dixon points to the personalities and comfort level in the clubhouse as reasons why he has adjusted so well.

"He's come up here on a mission and put some really good swings up," Gardenhire said.

Dixon had some extra support in the stands, too, on Tuesday. His father, Troy, took a red-eye flight from California to Boston on Monday night to watch the game. It was a last-minute decision Dixon is happy he made.

Turnbull gets first 'W'

While Dixon wasn't trying to get caught up in the moment of playing at Fenway Park, Tuesday night's starter Spencer Turnbull basked in the atmosphere. The righty earned his first career win, pitching five innings with three hits, four walks, two strikeouts and two hit batters over 94 pitches.

"It's a pretty surreal moment," Turnbull said. "Enjoyed every second out there. It was a battle, but it was a lot of fun, too. That's some of the most fun I've had in a while just being on a mound. It's a really cool atmosphere. Such a historic place. To get my first win here is pretty cool."

Turnbull has put together back-to-back starts with no earned runs allowed. He had to fight for it, too. With the Tigers leading, 3-0, in the fifth inning, Turnbull faced J.D. Martinez with two runners on. It could have been a game-changing moment for the Red Sox. Instead, Turnbull struck out the slugger.

"I was pretty pumped right there," Turnbull said. "You don't usually see a ton of emotion from me on the mound, but I'm pretty sure I gave a pretty loud scream, fist pump, whatever it was."

Call it realizing the accomplishment of a career milestone.