Rays Blown Out By Tigers To Drop To .500 On Season

The Tampa Bay Rays were demolished by the Detroit Tigers 7-1 in the first game Monday of the three-game series at Tropicana Field.

The Rays could not get anything going against Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, who allowed just three hits in six innings and struck out nine. Tampa also had two costly errors which summed up a poor performance overall.

Final pic.twitter.com/osy71pjfP2

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 23, 2024

Detroit Dominates

It was a rough start for Tampa (12-12). Mark Canha hit a solo home run off of Zack Littell on an 1-0 count with one away to open the Tigers’ first inning. It was just Littell’s third pitch of the night.

https://twitter.com/tigers/status/1782543353021649337

In the second inning, Javier Báez stepped into the batters box with two away and a runner in scoring position. On the first pitch he faced, Báez hit the ball to center field. Matt Vierling rounded third base and headed home. Jose Siri tried to throw home, but it wasn’t on target as Vierling made it 2-0.

Báez ended up scoring thanks to a Jake Rogers hit up the middle. Shortstop Jose Caballero gloved the ball, did a 360 and threw a bouncing ball to first base. It popped out of Yandy Díaz‘s glove as Báez scored.

The Rays were able to keep the Tigers (13-10) scoreless in the third and fourth innings, but could not get anything going offensively. In the fifth, Detroit made Tampa regret its wasted opportunities.

Báez got the inning started with a base hit. Rogers then advanced Báez to scoring position with a single. On the 0-1 pitch, Riley Greene chopped a ball straight to the shortstop. Caballero’s throw to first was wide and Báez was able to score as Rogers got to third. After hitting a home run earlier, Canha then hit a run-scoring single.

Adding some insurance in the 5th! pic.twitter.com/dHBytlgH8l

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 22, 2024

Tampa Trounced

Parker Meadows contributed to the Tigers’ big win in the sixth with a home run. One inning later, Kerry Carpenter was at bat with Canha on first. He hit a line drive into left center field and the ball bounced all the way to the wall. Canha was able to make it home without the ball being thrown home making it 7-0.

After an unlucky day defensively, Caballero was able to hit his second home run of the season.

Up Next

It can only get better for the Rays as they host the Tigers again tonight at 6:50. Ryan Pepitot (2-2, 4.37 ERA)  is expected to start on the mound for the Rays. He is facing 0-1 Kenta Maeda who has an ERA of 7.64.

https://twitter.com/tigers/status/1782569567232938402