Tigers 5, Rays 3
Austin Jackson delivered the tiebreaking single in the sixth inning as visiting Detroit defeated Tampa Bay for the third time in four games.
Jackson’s bouncing single to center gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead and he scored later in the inning when Prince Fielder sent a hopping single up the middle.
Four Detroit relievers protected the lead, with Jose Valverde working a perfect ninth for his 15th save as the Tigers moved a game within .500.
Tampa Bay manufactured a run in the first as Desmond Jennings walked, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by B.J. Upton.
Detroit tied the score in the fourth on a single by Ryan Raburn, and then plated two runs in the fifth on sacrifice flies by Delmon Young and Alex Avila.
The Rays countered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth on a run-scoring single by Hideki Matsui and a double to right-center field by Jose Molina.
Detroit starter Drew Smyly (3-3) allowed three runs and three hits in five innings.
Rays starter Alex Cobb (3-5) gave up five runs (four earned) and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Detroit has three players on the American League All-Star team. Fielder will be the starting first baseman and starter Justin Verlander and third baseman Miguel Cabrera were also selected. … Tampa Bay will be represented in the All-Star Game by starter David Price and closer Fernando Rodney. … Cabrera went 8-for-15 in the series. … Matsui had two hits for his second multihit game in 25 contests since joining the Rays.