DETROIT — Alex Avila takes enough abuse behind the plate for the Tigers without getting beat up in other ways, but he eventually came out of the game after a second-inning collision at home with his Red Sox counterpart, David Ross.

Ross was trying to score on a grounder with the infield in. The throw from second baseman Omar Infante beat him to the plate, and Ross lowered his shoulder into Avila’s chest. Avila held onto the ball for the out, but was clearly feeling the effects of the hit.

He later got hit flush in the mask with a foul tip.

But when he came out, the reason was patellar tendinitis in his right knee.

Brayan Pena pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the fourth, and took over the catching duties for the Tigers.

It was Pena’s first appearance of the postseason for the Tigers, and his career postseason at-bat when he came up with two on and one out in the fourth. He grounded into a double play.