Ramon Santiago hit a walk-off triple in the bottom of the 10th inning to help the Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays in a rain delay makeup game on Monday.
Santiago, who came on as a defensive replacement in the late innings for Magglio Ordonez (Ryan Raburn moved from second base to the outfield in the move), lined Kyle Farnsworth’s (2-1) first pitch in the at-bat to the gap in right field, scoring Victor Martinez from first base.
Phil Coke pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings for Detroit and was in line for the win, but Joaquin Beniot was unable to hold a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning when Justin Ruggiano hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game. David Purcey (1-0) pitched the 10th inning for Detroit and picked up the win.
Martinez was involved in the Tigers’ only other run as well, singling home Brennan Boesch in the fifth inning to put the Tigers up 1-0.
Rays manager Joe Maddon was ejected in the seventh inning when Ruggiano was thrown out at home by Ordonez after a fly out by Casey Kotchman; however, it appeared Ruggiano was safe after initially missing the plate.