Final
Rays attempt to clinch AL East vs. Tigers
Sep 26, 2008 - 10:30 AM Tampa Bay (96-63) at Detroit (72-86) 7:05 p.m. EDTDETROIT (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Rays remain one win away from their first division title.
They will take one more stab at clinching the American League East crown when they face the Detroit Tigers on Friday.
The Rays clinched the first playoff berth in franchise history last weekend and own a two-game lead over the Boston Red Sox (94-65) with three games left. If the teams finish tied atop the division, Tampa Bay will be declared the winner because it took the season series from Boston.
The Tigers earned their fourth win this month in the series opener on Thursday, 7-5. Detroit clubbed four solo homers off Rays ace Scott Kazmir and held off a late rally.
Picked to win the AL Central this season, the Tigers are in last place in the division, one-half game behind the Kansas City Royals (73-86).
Tampa Bay will look to clinch behind righthander Andy Sonnanstine (13-8, 4.27 ERA). The 25-year-old does not have a win in any of his last six starts, despite allowing a combined two earned runs over his last three outings.
He picked up a win against Detroit on August 2, allowing two runs and seven hits while striking out six in six innings.
The Tigers will counter with Justin Verlander (10-17, 4.87). The former phenom is crawling to the finish line in the roughest season of his three-year career, going 0-4 with a 7.92 ERA in his last five starts.
- AL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
TAMPA BAY 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 4 12 0
DETROIT 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 x 6 6 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: TAM - ANDY SONNANSTINE, DAVID PRICE (6TH), GRANT BALFOUR (7TH) AND
DIONER NAVARRO
DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER, BOBBY SEAY (6TH), GARY GLOVER
(8TH), CLAY RAPADA (8TH), F
Sep 26 10:13 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY MIGUEL CABRERA ALLOWED ROCCO BALDELLI TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, W AYBAR ON FIRST, J GOMES ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 4
DETROIT 6 TOP, 9TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B ZOBRIST (.239, 0-FOR-1)
Rays 4, Tigers 6 Top 9, 0 OutsSep 26 10:09 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY GARY SHEFFIELD (19) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 1
OUT IN THE 8TH OFF GRANT BALFOUR.
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 3, DETROIT 6
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M JOYCE (.258, 12 HR, 33 RBI)
Rays 3, Tigers 6 Bot 8, 0 OutsSep 26 9:55 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY B.J. UPTON (9) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN THE
7TH OFF BOBBY SEAY.
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 3, DETROIT 5
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C PENA (.246, 1-FOR-3, RBI)
Rays 3, Tigers 5 Top 7, 0 OutsSep 26 9:11 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY CARLOS PENA SCORED B.J. UPTON.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C PENA ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 2
DETROIT 5 TOP, 5TH
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: E LONGORIA (.273, 0-FOR-2)
Rays 2, Tigers 5 Top 5, 0 OutsSep 26 8:36 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
FIELDER'S CHOICE BY B.J. UPTON SCORED JASON BARTLETT.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B UPTON ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 1
DETROIT 5 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: C PENA (.245, 0-FOR-1)
Rays 1, Tigers 5 Top 3, 0 OutsSep 26 8:01 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY GARY SHEFFIELD (18) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 1ST OFF ANDY SONNANSTINE.
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 0, DETROIT 3
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M THAMES (.248, 25 HR, 56 RBI)
Rays 0, Tigers 3 Bot 1, 0 OutsSep 26 7:30 PM - AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY MAGGLIO ORDONEZ SCORED CURTIS GRANDERSON AND
PLACIDO POLANCO.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, M ORDONEZ ON SECOND, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 0
DETROIT 2 BOTTOM, 1ST
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M CABRERA (.294, 36 HR, 126 RBI)
Rays 0, Tigers 2 Bot 1, 0 OutsSep 26 7:27 PM
Related News
- Breaking down the Tigers offensive projections for 2024 Dec 26
- Tigers sign RHP Shelby Miller to a one-year contract Dec 22
- Friday Open Thread: Your Tigers Christmas wish Dec 22
- On Losing Tyler Glasnow Dec 20
- What can we learn from Tyler Glasnow’s contract extension with the Dodgers? Dec 19
- Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg says the club will be opportunistic the rest of the offseason Dec 18
- Mar-gone for Good Dec 17
- Rays Your Voice: Tyler Glasnow traded to the Dodgers Dec 16
- Friday Open Thread: Who is the next face of the franchise? Dec 15
- Tigers sign RHP Jack Flaherty to a one year deal Dec 14
- Tyler Glasnow, Manuel Margot traded to Los Angeles Dodgers Dec 14
- Rays Rumor: Tyler Glasnow and Manuel Margot to be traded to Dodgers Dec 13