DETROIT (AP) — Justyn-Henry Malloy’s eighth-inning sacrifice fly helped the Detroit Tigers rally from a 3-0 deficit to move closer to the postseason with a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon.
Detroit, who have won five straight, entered the game tied with Kansas City for the second and third American League wildcard spots, two games ahead of the Minnesota Twins.
The Tigers trailed 3-2 with one out in the eighth, but Riley Greene singled off Garrett Cleavinger (7-5) and Matt Vierling drew a walk.
Colt Keith tied the game with an RBI single, bringing up Malloy — the last position player on the Tigers bench — to pinch hit for Kerry Carpenter. He lifted a fly ball to medium center and Vierling easily beat Jose Siri’s throw.
Beau Brieske (4-4) got the win with two innings of relief. Jason Foley pitched the ninth for his 27th save.
Rays starter Tyler Alexander allowed four hits and struck out six without walking a batter. He’s 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in two career outings against Detroit, where he spent the first five seasons of his career.
The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the third. Ben Rortvedt and Taylor Walls singled with one out and scored on Brandon Lowe’s two-out base hit.
Walls tripled with one out in the fifth and scored on Casey Mize’s wild pitch.
The Tigers got on the board in the sixth when Hunter Bigge walked Vierling with two outs before Keith hit an RBI triple. Carpenter followed with a pinch-hit single to make it 3-2.
Kevin Kelly pitched a perfect seventh, extending his scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings over 25 outings.
