Verlander outlasts Archer, Tigers beat Rays 2

PETERSBURG, Fla. -Detroit’s Justin Verlander outdueled Tampa Bay Rays’ Chris Archer as the Tigers didn’t get a base runner until the seventh inning but scored two unearned runs, avoiding a sweep with a 2-1 win Wednesday.

Justin Verlander retired his first 14 batters before Cabrera homered on an 0-1 pitch with two outs in the fifth to become the games’ first baserunner. Archer struck out 11 but was doomed by a 32-pitch seventh inning in which his defense didn’t help him.

Joakim Soria picked up his 24th save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning. Detroit dropped five of its last six games and could be edging closer to being at least a partial seller before Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline.

We almost didn’t have Cabrera in today’s game, as he was scheduled to rehab his hamstring through the Tigers’ series, but he turned out to be the determining factor in ending Verlander’s ideal game, preserving Archers, and then losing the Rays’ lead in the seventh. Cabrera fielded it deep from his position and the throw to first base was true, but Iglesias beat it out. The Tigers have lost five of their last six games when scoring three or less runs.

Things might have been different also if shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera had not booted a potential double-play grounder that could have gotten Archer (9-8) out of the inning.

Archer was dazzling Wednesday afternoon, retiring the first 19 battlers he faced and giving up no earned runs in his seven innings of work. Next came a routine double-play ball that Cabrera couldn’t pull out of his glove for a pivotal error, and he had another chance to end the inning with a tie score, only to a line drive bounce off the top of his glove as he leaped.

Detroit Tigers’ Yoenis Cespedes connects for a home run off Tampa… Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski confirmed after the game that the Tigers (49-52) will listen to offers for pending free agents, a group that includes pitcher David Price.

Casali likely can’t wait to get his next game started as he is simply smoking at the plate right now.

The right-hander followed that outing by winning in more impressive fashion Saturday, taking a shutout into the eighth at Tampa Bay before ultimately allowing one run and five hits over 7 2-3 innings in a 5-1 win. TB logged eleven hits and a trio of BB with Curt Casali smacking a pair of homers and driving in three while Evan Longoria went solo. “We’re going to enjoy it while it lasts, and hopefully this is the start of a long run in the big leagues”.

Carlos Gonzalez, a subject of trade talks, hit his 21st home run (his eighth in the last seven games) for the Rockies.

By waiting until the last minute to announce their intentions, it might seem that the Tigers couldve cost themselves a few suitors for some of those players. Alfredo Simon will start the series opener for the Tigers – his first start against the Orioles after spending 2008-11 in Baltimore as both a starter and reliever.