SB Nation Detroit - Tigers Drop Third Straight Game Of Series To Rayshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48919/detroit-fave.png2010-07-28T22:55:05-04:00http://detroit.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13567812010-07-28T22:55:05-04:002010-07-28T22:55:05-04:00Tigers Lose To Rays Again
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<p>St. Petersburg, FL (<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/53968/recap/110321">Sports Network</a>) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31733/Evan_Longoria">Evan Longoria</a> homered and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31351/Jeff_Niemann">Jeff Niemann</a> battled through six innings to lead Tampa Bay to a 7-4 triumph over Detroit in the third installment of a four-game set.</p>
<p>Longoria finished 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two runs batted in. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/591/Carlos_Pena">Carlos Pena</a> chipped in with two hits, a walk and an RBI for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/TAM">Rays</a>, who have won five in a row.</p>
<p>Niemann (9-3) earned the win after allowing four runs on eight hits while walking a pair and fanning four for Tampa Bay, which won its franchise-record 17th game during the month of July. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/966/Rafael_Soriano">Rafael Soriano</a> retired the side in order in the ninth to secure the win and earn his 28th save.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/35038/Eddie_Bonine">Eddie Bonine</a> (4-1) took the loss after lasting 3 1/3 innings in his first start of the season, during which he allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/DET">Tigers</a>, who have fallen in five of their last six games.</p>
<p>Detroit's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/32044/Will_Rhymes">Will Rhymes</a> finished with two hits and a run scored while <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/601/Johnny_Damon">Johnny Damon</a> added two hits and two RBI and scored twice in the loss.</p>
<p>Rhymes started the game with a single and scored when Damon followed with a double to left-center field. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31843/Jeff_Larish">Jeff Larish</a> then picked up his first RBI of the season when he singled in Damon to make it 2-0 Detroit.</p>
<p>The Rays responded in their half of the first with a two-out, run-scoring hit by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31848/Matt_Joyce">Matt Joyce</a> that plated <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/672/Ben_Zobrist">Ben Zobrist</a>, who had singled and swiped second and third base.</p>
<p>Damon drilled a line drive solo shot to right with two outs in the third to restore the Tigers two-run edge.</p>
<p>Tampa again answered in its half of the frame with Pena's RBI single and Willy Aybar's run-producing fielder's choice grounder.</p>
<p>Jason Bartlett's run-scoring hit and Carl Crawford's RBI ground out in the fourth put the home side in the lead for good.</p>
<p>The Rays put two runners on with nobody out in the home fifth but could not score after a botched squeeze bunt attempt. The mistake was magnified when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/427/Miguel_Cabrera">Miguel Cabrera</a> blasted a solo shot to left with one out in the sixth to trim the lead to one.</p>
<p>Ryan Rayburn walked with two outs and moved to second base on a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31845/Scott_Sizemore">Scott Sizemore</a> single before Niemann struck out <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/68930/Alex_Avila">Alex Avila</a> to end the inning and his outing.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/1046/Grant_Balfour">Grant Balfour</a> took over in the seventh and ran into some trouble after a double and walk put two runners on for Larish, who struck out. The Rays then intentionally walked Cabrera and avoided any damage after <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/32059/Brennan_Boesch">Brennan Boesch</a> flied out to end the inning.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/108/Joaquin_Benoit">Joaquin Benoit</a> worked a scoreless eighth top of the eight before Longoria belted a two-out, two-run home run to left off <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/68929/Ryan_Perry">Ryan Perry</a> in the bottom of the frame to give the Rays some insurance heading into the ninth.</p>
<p>The Tigers announced the acquisition of infielder <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/87/Jhonny_Peralta">Jhonny Peralta</a> from the Cleveland <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/CLE">Indians</a>, in exchange for minor league left-hander Giovanni Soto, prior to the game...Detroit manager Jim Leyland was suspended for his actions in Monday's game and missed Wednesdays' game...The Rays 17-6 record in July is also the best mark for the month in franchise history...Tampa Bay improved to 18-9 versus the AL Central...Zobrist left the game with lower back stiffness and is listed as day-to-day...The Rays television crew called the game from beyond the centerfied wall.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/7/28/1593742/tigers-lose-to-rays-againSean Yuille2010-07-28T17:28:18-04:002010-07-28T17:28:18-04:00Tigers (51-48) At Rays (61-38)
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<p>(<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/53968/preview/110252">Sports Network</a>) – The Detroit Tigers are hurting, both on the field and in the American League playoff race.</p>
<p>Faced with the prospect of their longest road losing streak in nearly five years, the battered and badly-struggling Tigers continue a four-game series with the formidable Tampa Bay Rays tonight at Tropicana Field.</p>
<p>Detroit lost for the ninth straight time as the visitor and suffered its 11th defeat in its last 14 overall contests with Tuesday’s 3-2 setback to Tampa Bay. That result followed up a 5-0 Rays’ victory on Monday in which Matt Garza threw the first no-hitter in franchise history.</p>
<p>The Tigers, playing without three key regulars in right fielder Magglio Ordonez (fractured right ankle), third baseman Brandon Inge (broken hand) and second baseman Carlos Guillen (calf strain), did manage 12 hits in last night’s contest but stranded 11 baserunners. The team has averaged a paltry 2.8 runs over the course of their rough 14-game stretch.</p>
<p>Tampa Bay, on the other hand, won for the fourth straight time and closed within two games of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East with last night’s verdict. James Shields delivered 6 2/3 strong innings to lead the way for the Rays, while Matt Joyce snapped a 2-2 tie with a clutch <span class="caps">RBI</span> double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.</p>
<p>Shields held the Tigers to two runs and struck out seven before giving way to the Tampa bullpen, with four relievers combining for 2 1/3 scoreless frames to protect the one-run edge.</p>
<p>“I felt I had good command of my stuff tonight,” said Shields afterward. “I had my fastball working and that sets up everything else.”</p>
<p>Detroit made it interesting in the top of the ninth, however, by loading the bases with one out against Rafael Soriano. The Rays closer got out of the jam, however, by getting Miguel Cabrera to hit into a game-ending double play.</p>
<p>“[Third baseman Evan] Longoria did a great job to help turn that double play,” Shields remarked. It was just a real good win for us."</p>
<p>Tigers ace Justin Verlander (12-6) went the distance in a losing cause, with the All-Star hurler allowing three runs on just five hits and striking out six.</p>
<p>Detroit dropped to four games behind first-place Chicago in the AL Central standings and is now a subpar 16-31 away from home. The nine straight road losses are the team’s most since a 10-game skid from September 16-October 2, 2005.</p>
<p>Spot starter Eddie Bonine will attempt to get Detroit back in a winning groove when he takes the mound tonight. The versatile right-hander has worked exclusively in middle relief this season, but is needed to begin this game with the Tigers’ rotation having been altered by a doubleheader this past Sunday.</p>
<p>Bonine has performed extremely well in his bullpen role, having generated a 4-0 record with a 2.72 earned run average in 31 appearances while holding opposing hitters to a .241 average. He’s made nine starts for Detroit over the previous two seasons and gone 3-2 with a 4.38 <span class="caps">ERA</span> in those contests.</p>
<p>The 29-year-old’s only previous encounter with the Rays came in relief, with Bonine tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings in a matchup at Tropicana Field last September.</p>
<p>Jeff Niemann draws the assignment for Tampa Bay this evening and will be aiming to bounce back from a loss in his latest start. The towering right- hander allowed just two runs over five innings this past Friday at Cleveland, but was outdueled by the Indians’ Fausto Carmona in a rain-shortened 3-1 setback.</p>
<p>Niemann has come out on top more often than not in his second full major league season, as the former first-round draft pick has posted an 8-3 record along with a sound 2.95 <span class="caps">ERA</span> in 20 starts. The Rays are an impressive 15-5 in those games. The Rice product is just 3-2 in 10 Tropicana Field appearances this year, but owns a 2.44 <span class="caps">ERA</span> during that stretch.</p>
<p>Although the 27-year-old has yet to beat the Tigers over the course of his career, he’s surrendered only four runs in a combined 17 2/3 innings in two starts and one relief stint against Detroit. Niemann had a pair of no- decisions versus the Tigers last season, including a showdown in St. Petersburg in September in which he gave up one run while lasting 7 2/3 innings.</p>
<p>Detroit had prevailed in eight of their last 11 meetings with Tampa Bay prior to Garza’s no-hitter on Monday and swept a three-game set in their lone trip to Tropicana Field last season.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/7/28/1593120/detroit-tigers-tampa-bay-rays-game-three-previewRyan Weiss2010-07-28T14:58:28-04:002010-07-28T14:58:28-04:00Jim Leyland Suspended For Tonight's Game
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<p>After a heated argument with second base umpire Marty Foster on Monday night, Jim Leyland was ejected. According to <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/beckjason/status/19761745426">Jason Beck</a>, Major League Baseball reviewed the ejection and decided it's only fair to dish out a one-game suspension: </p>
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<p>MLB suspends #Tigers manager Jim Leyland for tonight's game at Rays. No appeal process for managers, so McClendon will presumably fill in.</p>
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<p>Leyland went to argue a missed call by Foster, who called B.J. Upton safe at second when he was clearly out, but let some saliva (or sunflower seed remnants fly) instead. <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100727&content_id=12675770&notebook_id=12679430&vkey=notebook_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det&partnerId=rss_det" target="_blank">Foster accused Leyland of intentionally spitting on him</a> and ejected him immediately, which further enraged Leyland: </p>
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<p>"I had some sunflower seeds in when I was talking," Leyland said. "Some sprayed on him, and he indicated that I deliberately spit on him, and I'm not going to take that from anybody. I'm not going to do it. <br><br>"Did I spray him? Yes. Did I mean to? No. I was talking right close [to him] and what happens a lot of times, happened. I asked him if he was going to write me up. He said, 'You spit on me.' I said, 'You mean to tell me that you're going to write up that I deliberately spit on you?' He said, 'Yes.' I said, 'Well that's a blatant lie.' I'm tired of protecting them, worrying about what you should say and what you can't say. I don't care that he missed the play. I don't care that he threw me out. But when you make accusations like that, I'm not going to accept that. That's a blatant lie. I don't even spit on the ground."</p>
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<p>MLB said they were going to review the ejection, which did include some bumping as Leyland tried to get to Foster and defend himself for the "spit" Foster was accusing him of slinging purposefully, so perhaps that's why they ultimately decided to suspend him for a game. Either way, Leyland definitely did not intentionally spit on Foster and MLB should consider holding Foster accountable for falsely accusing the Tigers skipper here. </p>
<p>Long story short, Jim Leyland won't be in the Tigers dugout tonight.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/7/28/2318511/jim-leyland-suspended-for-tonights-gamePackey