Tigers 5, Rays 2
The dynamic duo of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder struck again and Austin Jackson’s hot start continued as host Detroit remained undefeated. Tampa Bay suffered its first loss.
Jackson hit a tying solo homer and Jhonny Peralta added an RBI for the Tigers.
Knotted at 2-2 in the eighth inning, Tampa Bay elected to let left-hander Jake McGee (0-1) face Cabrera leading off the frame. The right-handed hitter promptly smashed a double to right-center. Fielder followed and fisted a single up through the middle, plating Cabrera with the go-ahead run.
Detroit tacked on two more runs in the rally and Jose Valverde bounced back from a blown save on opening day with a perfect ninth.
The teams traded runs in the seventh, when Desmond Jennings recording an RBI single off Rick Porcello in the top of the frame and Jackson’s solo shot tying it in the bottom and ending Matt Moore’s day.
The highly-touted left-hander ended up surrendering two runs and four hits while walking five, striking out four and throwing a wild pitch in 6 2/3 innings.
Porcello went seven strong innings and Phil Coke (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Jackson is batting .562 (9-for-16) with seven runs scored and three RBIs. … Fielder and Cabrera have now combined for 12 RBIs in four games. … Moore issued three walks in 9 1/3 regular-season innings during his call-up last Sept.