Tigers 4-3 Rays (September 26, 2024) Game Recap

DETROIT – Justyn-Henry Malloy's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning helped the Detroit Tigers overcome a 3-0 deficit and move closer to the postseason with a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon.

Detroit, which has won five straight, entered the game tied with Kansas City for the second and third wild-card spots in the American League, two games ahead of the Minnesota Twins.

The Tigers trailed 3-2 with one out in the eighth, but Riley Greene hit a single off Garrett Cleavinger (7-5) and Matt Vierling drew a walk.

Colt Keith tied the game with an RBI single and brought Malloy – the last player on the Tigers' bench – on to score for Kerry Carpenter. He lifted a fly ball to center and Vierling beat Jose Siri's throw with ease.

Beau Brieske (4-4) earned the win with two innings of relief. Jason Foley threw out the ninth pitch for his 27th save.

Rays starter Tyler Alexander allowed four hits and struck out six without walking a batter. He is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two games against Detroit, where he spent the first five seasons of his career.

The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the third period. Ben Rortvedt and Taylor Walls singled with one out and scored on Brandon Lowe's two-out base hit.

Walls tripled with one out in the fifth and scored on Casey Mize's wild pitch.

The Tigers got into the game in the sixth when Hunter Bigge struck out Vierling with two outs before Keith hit an RBI triple. Carpenter followed with a pinch-hit single to make it 3-2.

Kevin Kelly pitched a perfect seventh, extending his scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings in 25 games.

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