DETROIT -- It was a gutsy call and it was well executed, getting the Red Sox out of a big jam in the eighth inning with Boston on top, 9-8.

Hideki Okajima allowed back-to-back one-out singles, putting runners at first and second. The count then went full on Gary Sheffield, who takes one of the most vicious hacks at the baseball in the game.

Catcher Jason Varitek called one of the left-hander’s best pitches — the old Okie-Dokie, his changeup. Okajima threw the 3-and-2 as the runners took off on the pitch, a case of Detroit manager Jim Leyland trying to make something happen for his struggling ballclub, which had lost five in a row.

Sheffield came out of his shoes swinging at the ball. He was way out in front and missed it for a strikeout. Varitek took his time and made an accurate throw to third baseman Mike Lowell, who slapped a tag on dead-duck Magglio Ordonez for the rally-killing double play.

“That was a great pitch,” said Sox manager Terry Francona. “That’s not easy to do, throw that pitch in that situation.”

-STEVEN KRASNER