Field Level Media
Jul 11, 2018
C.J. Cron hit a go-ahead, three-run homer, Kevin Kiermaier also homered and the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 4-2 win on Wednesday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Cron and Kiermaier had three hits apiece, and Kiermaier also scored twice. Ryan Yarbrough (8-4) tossed three innings of scoreless relief and struck out four while collecting the victory. Sergio Romo pitched the ninth and notched his 11th save.
James McCann hit his sixth homer, a two-run-shot, for the Tigers. Jordan Zimmermann (4-1) gave up four runs on 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out five. Zimmermann was tagged with his first loss since Sept. 21.
With Detroit leading 2-1 in the seventh inning, Cron spoiled Zimmermann's otherwise fine outing with one swing of the bat. Kiermaier and Matt Duffy reached on one-out singles and advanced on a wild pitch. Following a popout, Cron clobbered a 2-0 offering into the left field seats for his 18th homer, giving the Rays a 4-2 lead.
The Tigers left runners on the corners in the first when Victor Martinez grounded back to the mound. The Rays also left two runners stranded in the first.
Detroit had two runners on again with one out in the second but came up empty when Matt Andriese struck out the next two batters.
Kiermaier put Tampa Bay on the board with his leadoff homer in the third. The Rays squandered an opportunity to add to that lead later in the inning. With runners in scoring position, Ji Man Choi struck out and Willy Adames flied out.
McCann gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Mikie Mahtook reached on a one-out bunt single before McCann blasted his homer over the left field wall.
The Tigers had another runner in scoring position in the seventh thanks to JaCoby Jones's two-out ground-rule double. But Yarbrough induced Jeimer Candelario to ground out.
Left fielder Mallex Smith stole a run from the Tigers in the eighth. He robbed Victor Martinez of a two-out hit on a diving catch with Nicholas Castellanos at third.
--Field Level Media