Tigers 7, Rays 6
Alex Avila homered twice and Miguel Cabrera added a three-run shot as the Detroit Tigers outlasted the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 7-6 on Tuesday.
Scott Sizemore and Don Kelly each recorded a pair of hits for the Tigers, who have won three straight.
Avila, who had brought Detroit within 6-5 with a solo shot in the sixth inning, came up again in the eighth with Jhonny Peralta on first. The Rays elected to bring in lefthander Cesar Ramos (0-1) to face the left-handed hitting Avila, and the slugging catcher made them pay with a two-run blast to the opposite field in left.
Rookie righthander Al Alburquerque (1-1) picked up his first major league win and former Rays reliever Joaquin Benoit worked a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season.
After the Tigers had taken a 4-3 edge on Cabrera’s ninth homer in the fifth, Tampa Bay got to ace Justin Verlander for three runs in the top of the sixth to retake the lead.
Matt Joyce homered among three hits for the Rays, who have dropped eight of their last 11.