David Price struck out nine to become the American League’s first 14-game winner and the Tampa Bay Rays edged the Detroit Tigers 4-2 on Thursday afternoon.
Carlos Pena homered and drove in all four runs as the Rays capped a four-game sweep of the Tigers at Tropicana Field. The loss was the 10th straight on the road for the Tigers.
Price (14-5) allowed seven hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Dan Wheeler pitched the final two innings for his second save of the season.
Pena boosted his team-leading totals of home runs (23) and RBIs (68) with his three-hit day. He also raised his average to a paltry .214.
Pena opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning. After the Tigers tied the score on a RBI ground out by Ramon Santiago in the third, Pena gave the Rays the lead for good with a two-run single in the bottom of the inning.
Rick Porcello (4-9) took the loss, allowing all four runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out eight in 7 1/3 innings.
Austin Jackson singled to score Danny Worth to cut the Tiger deficit to 3-2 in the seventh inning. Pena’s single in the eighth scored Sean Rodriguez to complete the scoring.
Detroit | Tampa Bay | |
Rick Porcello | Player | David Price |
Loss | W/L | Win |
7.1 | IP | 6.1 |
8 | Strikeouts | 9 |
5 | Hits | 7 |
4.91 | ERA | 2.84 |
Detroit | Tampa Bay | |
Will Rhymes | Player | Carlos Pena |
2 | Hits | 3 |
0 | RBI | 4 |
0 | HR | 1 |
4 | TB | 6 |
.500 | Avg | .750 |