Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo gets brushed back at the plate by Tigers’ starter Jeremy Bonderman in the fourth inning last night at Fenway Park.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

BOSTON — It was really only a matter of time.

Dropping their first seven games after being tabbed by many in the preseason to win the World Series, the Detroit Tigers had to win one eventually.

And, indeed, that long-awaited victory came last night at Fenway Park.

After generating only 15 runs combined over its first seven losses, Detroit finally ended its downward spiral with a 7-2 decision over the Sox.

“I thought we had a good approach,” said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, whose club put together a 10-hit attack. “I thought we laid off balls that some of the time we’d be swinging at early on. I thought we had a good approach. We finally got some timely hits – Edgar (Renteria’s) had a couple big hits, (Brandon) Inge had a big hit, obviously Marcus (Thames) had a big blow. That’s more like us.”

Jon Lester’s debut against the Tigers wasn’t the most memorable. Failing to record at least one strikeout for the first time in 29 games (28 starts), he dropped to 1-2 after giving up four runs, all of them earned, on four hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Meanwhile, Detroit right-hander Jeremy Bonderman – who entered last night’s game with a 5.68 ERA after a 4-1 loss to Kansas City in his first start — extended his winning streak against the Sox to four games, scattering five hits over five innings for his first victory of the 2008 campaign.

Boston got off to a bright enough start, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the second.

Pinch hitting for Mike Lowell — who left the game with a sprained left thumb suffered while making a diving stop on a grounder by Ivan Rodriguez in the first at-bat of the game — Sean Casey started things off with a liner up the middle. J.D. Drew followed with a walk.

After Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco misplayed a grounder by Jason Varitek to load the bases, Jacoby Ellsbury drew a walk to push Casey across.

Julio Lugo punched a single over Polanco’s head to drive home Drew and put Boston up 2-0.

But Detroit – which had dropped a 5-0 decision in the series opener on Tuesday – shifted the momentum permanently in its favor, thanks to a four-run rally in the fourth.

After Lester issued walks to Miguel Cabrera and Carlos Guillen, Renteria got hold of a cutter, doubling Cabrera and Guillen home to even the score.

Thames then stepped to the plate and belted a 3-and-2 curve off Lester into the Green Monster seats for his first home run of the season, putting the Tigers on top, 4-2.

“I really thought Jon threw the ball much better than his line score will dictate,” Varitek said. “He was just a ground ball away from getting out of that inning. . . . Those walks are what got us in a little bit of trouble, and he was close on those walks. It wasn’t like he was all over the place. . . . I think he’s continuing to become a better pitcher. It’s just a matter of getting a couple good ones in a row.”

“They fouled off a lot of pitches and made him work, especially in the fourth,” added Sox manager Terry Francona. “Early on, he was very good, then he ran into an almost 40-pitch inning (39).”

And then there was the matter of Boston’s offensive production – or lack thereof.

The Sox managed to get a runner past first base just twice during the middle innings, including the fourth when a flare to left by Varitek eluded Thames in left and Julio Lugo punched a double down the right-field line.

Both times, they were left stranded, though. And Detroit grabbed two more insurance runs in the eighth on a two-run single to center by Brandon Inge off Bryan Corey and then another in the ninth, thanks to a solo blast by Guillen off of Javier Lopez.

“They’re a very difficult team,” Lester said. “At times they were very aggressive and at times they were very patient. It varied from at-bat to at-bat with each guy. . . . . You’ve got to tip your hat to them and move on. It was just a battle from the get go. I was throwing good pitches and they were battling.”

Boston showed some life in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs. After Alex Cora – who was pinch hitting for Lugo – followed a fielder’s choice by Ellsbury with a single to left, Dustin Pedroia drew a walk.

But Tigers reliever Todd Jones got Kevin Youkilis to fly out to shallow left to end the Sox’ final challenge.

“We couldn’t get enough going,” Pedroia said. “The hits didn’t come in a row, and when that happens, you don’t score many runs.”

“Obviously we haven’t swung the bats real well yet, one through nine,” added Varitek. “So we’ve got to keep grinding out at-bats to get there.”

cthorn@projo.com