Detroit Tigers topple Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 in series finale – MLB Update
Detroit Tigers defeated Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg in Florida on Sunday, July 1 in the finale of their four match series of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season.
Ryan Raburn singled to centre in the fourth inning to level the score 1-1. Delmon Young, rookie Quintin Berry and Miguel Cabrera combined to put the Tigers 2-1 ahead in the fifth inning. Catcher Alex Avila also had a decent time on the plate as he hit a
sacrifice fly to right in the fifth.
Austin Jackson drove in a tie breaking run and Prince Fielder singled to centre in the sixth to give the Tigers a much needed series victory. Starting pitcher Drew Smyly grabbed his third win of the season, allowing just three runs and three hits in five
solid inning and four relievers combined to help the Tigers hold on to their two run lead in closing stages of the game.
"It was a great team win," Smyly said. "I only went five innings, but our bullpen did an absolutely tremendous job. They didn't give up a run. They just shut the door. As a starting pitcher, when you give the ball to them, you've got a good feeling."
Manager Jim Leyland will be very pleased with Tigers’ performance in a series that was important for them in many ways. With their win against the Rays on Sunday, the Tigers improved their record to 39-40 and they are now just three games behind the league
leaders the Chicago White Sox.
Leyland and company produced similar results last season when they made it to the playoffs. Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez all played a key role in their team’s American League Central Division campaign last year.
However, the ace Verlander has struggled to match his stats from last season and Victor Martinez has not played a single game due to serious knee injury. In Prince Fielder the Tigers may have one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball but they will
have to play out of their skins to make it to the post-season this year.
The Tigers will be looking to carry their winning momentum forward and build up some much needed confidence in the club.
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