Catch a Tiger by the tail: Rays 7, Tigers 3

And avoid a series sweep

The finale of the Rays/Tigers series was bumped back by the threat of rain, and when things finally did get started this evening, it seemed like stormy weather was behind us. However, this game proved to be its own bit of cloudy skies at times thanks to those pesky Tigers doing what they do. And then it was sunny skies. Zack Littell was on the mound for the Rays, up against Reese Olson for the Tigers, who only recently returned to the team from a rehab outing thanks to a stint on the IL.

In the top of the first with one out, Jonathan Aranda doubled, followed by a single from freshly-minted All-Star Junior Caminero, bumping Aranda to third. Josh Lowe grounded out, but scored Aranda and putting the Rays on the board first. A Jake Mangum single then scored Caminero. At the mid-first, the Rays were up two runs.

The Tigers went 1-2-3 in the home half.

Ha-Seong Kim singled to open the second. But three outs followed. There was some contention over the final out of the inning, with the Tigers challenging the safe play on the field, the call being overturned to end the inning. The Tigers were three-up, three-down in the home half.

Aranda got things going in the third with a leadoff single, but was then eliminated in the force out off the bat of Caminero. A double play then ended the inning. With one out in the home half, Parker Meadows singled, but then got tagged out at second trying to claim the extra bag. Jake Rogers drew a walk, but was ultimately left stranded.

Chandler Simpson did some Chandler Simpson things in the top of the fourth with a one-out single, then he stole second. Then, on a Kim flyout, he hustled to third. Too bad the Rays weren’t able to bring him home. Gleyber Torres opened the bottom of the inning with a double. Wenceel Perez then singled, moving Torres to third. With one out, Spencer Torkelson singled, bringing Torres home. A Zach McKinstry double scored Perez and tied up the game. Matt Vierling walked, and then a Parker Meadows groundout scored Torkelson to put the Tigers in the lead.

Danny Jansen walked to start the fifth. Then, with one out, Aranda walked as well. Caminero hit into a double play, though, to end the inning scoreless. The Tigers were 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

Reese Olson’s day was done, replaced by Brant Hurter for the sixth. Mangum got a one-out single, then stole second. With two outs, Chase Lee came in to replace Hurter. Kim then doubled to score Mangum, re-tying the game. A Taylor Walls single scored Kim, then a Danny Jansen double scored Walls. THEN Yandy Diaz singled to score Jansen. Talk about an inning!

In the home half, McKinstry got a two-out double, which was it for Littell, whose final line was 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K on 87 pitches. Kevin Kelly came in to replace him and got the final out of the inning.

The Rays wasted no time extending their lead in the top of the seventh as Caminero opened the inning with a solo home run to chase Chase Lee from the game.

Dietrich Enns was the next Tigers pitcher out. He got two outs before Simpson singled. Then Simpson got caught stealing to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Jake Rogers got a one-out walk. Then Colt Keith singled. With two outs, the Rays turned to Garrett Cleavinger, who gave up a walk to a pinch-hitting Jahmai Jones. Cleavinger did get the final out of the inning to end the bases-loaded threat.

In the top of the eighth, Walls got a one-out single. With two outs, Walls stole second, but the Rays left him stranded. Mason Englert was the next Rays’ reliever in and got the Tigers out in order.

Aranda started the top of the ninth with a single. Then with one out, Josh Lowe doubled. However, two outs followed. Pete Fairbanks came in for the home half, giving up a two-out single to Colt Keith. Fairbanks collected the final out of the inning though and the Tigers were denied the series sweep.

Final: Rays 7, Tigers 3