Detroit Tigers 2012 regular season review – Part 53
After losing to the Tampa Bay Rays 2-4 in Game 2 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, the Detroit Tigers were looking to learn from their mistakes to reclaim their advantage in the series and that is exactly what Jim Leyland and his men did in Game 3 on
June 30.
Outplaying their American League rivals in finer details of the game, the Detroit took an impassable 2-1 series lead. Tigers’ pitching rotation laid the foundations of an impressive win as they limited the Rays to just two runs.
Starting pitcher Rick Porcello led from the front as he allowed just four hits in seven scoreless innings, playing a key role in deciding the outcome of the contest. Striking gout batters at regular intervals, Porcello kept Rays on the defensive.
Relief pitchers Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde also pitched with great control and accuracy. Closer Valverde in particular helped the Tigers hold on to their slim lead in closing stages of the contest.
Rays’ starter Jeremy Hellickson was unable to live up to the expectations as he gave up four hits and a run in just over two innings before picking up a serious injury.
"It didn't get bone, but it hurt," Hellickson said. "I tried to stay in, but it just went numb on me. I couldn't feel anything."
"Because it's hurting, you're not going to use your bottom half and now it's all shoulder," Maddon said. "That was his (previous) problem, so I didn't want to mess with it."
"He just made great pitches, just got out of the inning and that's pretty much the ballgame as it turned out," Leyland said, "We're really tickled with him right now."
First baseman Prince Fielder lined out to pitcher in the third inning to break the deadlock and put Tigers on the board. Austin Jackson also made his presence felt as he smacked a three run home run to left in the eighth inning to give Tigers complete control
of the situation. Jhonny Peralta singled to right in the bottom of the ninth to end the game on a positive note for his team.
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