The Detroit Tigers made sure the Tampa Bay Rays had a bad start to their weekend, pounding out 13 runs, including ten against starter Erasmo Ramirez, in a 13-3 beatdown at Comerica Park.
Ramirez started the game by allowing a leadoff homer to Ian Kinsler, much like he did the last time he saw Detroit on April 20th, but the rest of his start turned out to be much uglier. Tampa Bay tied the game in the third on a fielder's choice by Steven Souza Jr. coupled with a throwing error by Nicholas Castellanos and took the lead an inning later on a single by Daniel Robertson, his first of his three RBI on the night, but had another potential run taken off the board when Mallex Smith was thrown out trying to steal home.
Ramirez gave the run right back in the bottom of the fourth on a home run to Alex Avila, the start of a stretch of six straight hitters to reach. Miguel Cabrera followed with a walk and J.D. Martinez singled him up a base. Justin Upton then lifted a double over the head of Mallex Smith to bring in Cabrera and break the tie. Castellanos doubled in Martinez and Upton to make it 5-2, and after Alex Presley reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners, and James McCann's single made it a 6-2 game.
Norris made quick work of the Rays hitters in the top of the fifth, and the Tigers beat up Ramirez for four more runs, with Upton driving in a pair on a single, while Tim Beckham's throwing error on a McCann grounder added a pair of unearned runs on the Rays starter's line after he left, and Jose Iglesias singled in the catcher to add an unearned run to reliever Austin Pruitt's line.
Castellanos added two more RBI in the sixth with a triple off Pruitt.
Robertson singled in Smith in the seventh to make it 13-3, and added another RBI with a sacrifice fly in the ninth, though Tampa Bay could get no closer.
The loss drops the Rays back to .500 at 35-35 and drops them 1/2 game behind the Cleveland Indians for the second Wild Card spot.
Tampa Bay will need a win Saturday to still have an opportunity at a .500 road trip. Chris Archer (4-4, 3.80 ERA) will get the start, taking on Michael Fulmer (6-4, 3.40 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 4:10, with coverage on WDAE beginning at 3:00 with The Inside Pitch presented by Sykes Lakeland.
Photo: Getty Images