Mickey Lolich struck out 15 batters while Aurelio Rodriguez drove in three runs with a homer and a pair of singles as the Detroit Tigers trimmed the Boston Red Sox 4-1 Monday night in the opener of a three-game series that will determine baseball's American League East champion.

Lolich, whose previous high this season was 11 strikcouts, allowed just six hits before a screaming Tiger Stadium crowd of 51.518.

The fans began roaring early as Lolich, 22-14, struck out Reggie Smith and Rico Petrocelli with two runners on base in the first inning. In the bottom of the inning. Al Kaline homered off rookie John Curtis. 11-8, his 10th of the season and third in three days.

Kaline has a 10-game hitting streak, going 20-for-40 to raise his average to 319 in his 20th season.

Rodriguez homer, his second in two games, came in the fifth. Then in the sixth. Kaline opened with a single, moved up on Dake Sims' sacrifice and scored on Rodriguez single.

The Tigers picked up their final run in the eighth when Kaline opened with his third hit, a single. Sims bunted. Carlton Fisk threw wildly, and Kaline reached third. Rodriguez delivered another single against Bob Bolin for the Tigers' run.

Boston scored its run in the third, but the Red Sox were deprived of a bigger inning when Luis--Aparicio tell down rounding third base Iommy Harper had singled and taken third on Aparicio single, before scoring on a 420-foot double by Carl Yastrzemski