Tampa Bay Rays vs Detroit Tigers Box Score on Jun 17, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 17, 2017

DETROIT -- Mallex Smith and Daniel Robertson grounded two-out RBI singles to right field in the seventh inning Saturday to rally the Tampa Bay Rays from a one-run deficit to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers that snapped a three-game losing streak.

Robertson's single just trickled off diving Ian Kinsler's glove in short right to get Steven Souza Jr. in from third and tie the score 2-2.

Souza Jr. drew a walk from Tigers starter Michael Fulmer (6-5) to lead off the seventh and got to third on two groundouts. Smith welcomed reliever Alex Wilson by grounding a 3-1 pitch to right for a single that scored Robertson, who had gotten to second when Derek Norris chased Fulmer with a line single to left.

Smith had two singles and now has hit safely in all nine games he has played since being recalled from the minors to take over for injured center fielder Kevin Kiermaier.

Jumbo Diaz pitched the seventh for Tampa Bay but gave up a one-out double in the eighth and was relieved by Alex Colome, who got the last five outs for his 19th save.

Mikie Mahtook led off the ninth for the Tigers with a single to third. Colome got Ian Kinsler to fly to left and Alex Avila grounded out to second to end the game.

Miguel Cabrera slammed a first-pitch fastball from Rays starter Chris Archer (5-4) over the right field wall leading off the sixth inning to put the Tigers ahead 2-1.

Archer allowed six hits in six innings, walking one and striking out eight.

Fulmer lasted 6 2/3 innings, allowing six hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Kinsler ripped a flat 3-2 slider to the left field wall to drive in Andrew Romine, who had singled leading off the fifth for Detroit and gone to second on a groundout, to tie the score 1-1.

Robertson's first RBI single to center with one out in the fifth gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead. Colby Rasmus doubled to right with one out and Tim Beckham walked to precede Robertson's first-pitch line single.

NOTES: CF Mallex Smith has four bunt singles in his 18 games with Tampa Bay this season, equaling the rest of the team combined. ... Detroit DH Victor Martinez was released from the hospital, but he will rest and be monitored for an irregular heartbeat for 7-10 days. ... The Rays acquired INF Trevor Plouffe, who had been designated for assignment by Oakland, but he won't report until Monday in Tampa Bay. ... Tigers 3B Nicholas Castellanos wasn't in the starting lineup, manager Brad Ausmus said, because he was 4-for-17 against Rays starter RHP Chris Archer.