Miguel Cabrera hadn't homered in 22 games. You can reset that clock.
Cabrera launched a two-run homer off Tommy Hunter in the bottom of the ninth inning, breaking a 3-3 tie and sending the Tampa Bay Rays to their second straight loss with a 5-3 defeat at Comerica Park Thursday.
The Tigers first baseman followed a one-out single by Alex Avila by turning around a 97 mile per hour fastball that caught too much of the plate away and tucked it into the first row of the right-field seats for his sixth home run of the season.
Detroit took the early lead in the bottom of the first, as Rays starter Alex Cobb hit Ian Kinsler with a pitch. Kinsler then stole second base and scored on a base hit by Victor Martinez.
Tampa Bay rallied in the top of the second inning to tie the game, with Daniel Robertson's RBI groundout scoring Logan Morrison, who had singled and moved around on a walk to Steven Souza Jr. and a groundout by Colby Rasmus.
The Rays took the lead in the third as Morrison doubled in Mallex Smith to break the tie.
Cobb couldn't get the shutdown inning, though, as Cabrera and J.D Martinez each doubled off Cobb to tie the contest at 2-2.
The Tigers broke the tie in the seventh, as Cobb gave up a single to Kinsler and a walk to Avila before inducing a ground ball from Cabrera that turned into a double play. Kevin Cash then brought in Jumbo Diaz to face Victor Martinez, whose ground ball got by Daniel Robertson for his second error of the night and allowed Kinsler to score for a 3-2 lead.
Tampa Bay came right back and tied the game in the top of the next inning, with Souza blasting his 12th homer of the year off reliever Francisco Rodriguez.
Diaz worked a scoreless eighth before turning the game over to Hunter in the ninth, who Detroit rallied off.
The loss drops the Rays back to one game over .500 at 35-34.
The Rays will look to counter Friday, with Erasmo Ramirez (3-1, 4.20 ERA) takes on Daniel Norris (3-4, 4.41 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 6:00 with The Inside Pitch presented by Sykes Lakeland.