Detroit Tigers (8-6) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (8-8)
Box Score via MLB.com
First Pitch: 7:10 EST
Stadium: Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay
Weather: Dome
Media: Fox Sports Detroit / 97.1 The Ticket
[the_ad id=”80408″]
Tigers lineup:
- Ian Kinsler (2B)
- Nicholas Castellanos (3B)
- Miguel Cabrera (1B)
- Victor Martinez (DH)
- Tyler Collins (RF)
- James McCann (C)
- Andrew Romine (LF)
- JaCoby Jones (CF)
- Jose Iglesias (SS)
Hitters Box Score via MLB.com
Pitching Results:
WP: Austin Pruitt (1-0, 10.00 ERA)
LP: Francisco Rodriguez (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
[the_ad id=”78455″]
Standings:
Standings via MLB.com
Game Notes:
This game was ugly from the beginning. Starting in the bottom of the first when leadoff man Corey Dickerson hit a can-of-corn fly ball to right-center-field that was misplayed by JaCoby Jones and Tyler Collins. For the rest of the night starter, Jordan Zimmermann, battled and fought eventually going six innings, and giving up five earned runs. The Tigers, however, did battle back and took a 7-5 lead heading into the seventh inning.
Then the bullpen entered.
Alex Wilson came in and struggled a bit, relinquishing one run, bringing the score to 7-6. Justin Wilson was great again, working a clean 8th inning. But Francisco Rodriguez blew his second save of the season. After loading the bases, Rodriguez got Steven Sousa to strike out swinging, then got Logan Morrison to ground into a tailor-made double play…until Jose Iglesias tripped over second base, still tried to make the throw and missed Miggy by a mile. Two runs scored and the Tigers lost 8-6. Another loss for the bullpen.
Tonight also marked the end of the home runs in consecutive games streak, leaving the Tigers one game short of the 2002 Cleveland Indians.
All in all the Tigers never truly played well enough to win this game, and in the end got what they deserved.
Looking Ahead:
Tomorrow the Tigers wrap up their three-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:10 EST, before traveling to Minnesota for a weekend series with the Twins. Daniel Norris (1-0, 2.19 ERA) takes on Erasmo Ramirez (1-0, 3.72 ERA) in the final game of the series. Tigers will be trying to avoid the sweep for the first time this season.
