Fulmer was backed by the longball: Three Tigers hit home runs, including the first of the season from both Cameron Maybin and James McCann.
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The game was tied at 1 when Fulmer (3-1) came off the mound after the top of the seventh, but the Tigers scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to make him the pitcher of record.
Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera, right, is congratulated by third base coach Dave Clark after his two-run home run off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Andriese during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 20, 2016, in Detroit. The 23-year-old right-hander hadn’t pitched more than five innings in a game yet, but he made it through seven without much trouble Saturday, throwing 106 pitches.
Fulmer (3-1) struck out two batters in five different innings. The outfielder is batting.647 through five games this season.
Kiermaier was racing in to try to catch a sinking line drive by James McCann when his glove caught on the grass and his left wrist bent back.
Francisco Rodriguez came in to work the ninth and picked up his 12th save on the season.
The Tampa Bay Rays jumped out to a three-nothing lead in the first and held on late to take down the Tigers, 7-5, in Detroit. “It’s just really unfortunate”.
Michael Fulmer (2-1, 6.52 ERA) and the Detroit Tigers (19-22) meet Drew Smyly (2-4, 3.44 ERA) and the Tampa Bay Rays (20-19) in the second of a three-game series at Comerica Park. He allowed one run, four hits and one walk in seven innings and departed to a standing ovation.
“I battled, I made a lot of good pitches”, Smyly said. The Rays scored two on a triple by Brad Miller and another on a wild pitch by Wilson.
LONGO MILESTONE: 3B Evan Longoria’s sixth-inning homer was his 500th extra-base hit, the first to do so with the Rays. The Rays had won four in a row before the Tigers put an end to the run win a 5-4 decision on Saturday.
“Generally, we are a pretty crisp defensive team, but we weren’t tonight”, Cash said.
Rays: RHP Brad Boxberger is scheduled to make a relief outing with Triple-A Durham on Saturday. Zimmermann is 6-2 with a 2.45 ERA, but everyone else who’s started for them has struggled.
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Greene, who was placed on the disabled list April 29 with a blister on his pitching hand, threw three scoreless innings for Single-A West Michigan on Friday.
