Tigers 6, Rays 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Miguel Cabrera went 4-for-4 with a double and two home runs and Max Scherzer became the majors' first 12-game winner on Friday night at Tropicana Field as the Detroit Tigers downed the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3.
Prince Fielder added two homers, the second a monstrous two-run shot to center field in the eighth inning that upped the Tigers' lead to three after the Rays had pulled to 4-3 in the seventh.
Scherzer (12-0) allowed four hits and three earned runs, but two homers kept the Rays close despite the Detroit cannonade. He struck out nine.
Cabrera, the American League leader in batting average, hits and RBIs, had a typically bountiful night, increasing his RBI count to 81, pulling within four home runs of AL leader Chris Davis by hitting his 23rd and 24th of the season and increasing his hit total to 116. Cabrera also scored three times.
Cabrera accounted for three runs on three pitches in his first two at-bats. The 2012 Triple Crown winner mashed an 0-1 pitch from Alex Colome into the left-field bleachers for a 2-0 lead in the first that scored Austin Jackson, who had walked leading off. In the fourth, Cabrera crushed the first pitch he saw to the same vicinity.
Fielder (2-for-3, two RBIs) followed Cabrera's fourth-inning homer with a double to the right-center field alley, moved to third on a Victor Martinez lineout to right and scored on a wild pitch. Detroit led 4-0.
Solo home runs by Ben Zobrist in the fourth and rookie Wil Myers in the fifth halved the lead, and the Rays pressed Scherzer in the seventh as they pulled within 4-3. Luke Scott's two-out double into the right-field corner scored Myers, who had singled in front of him. After a visit from Tigers manager Jim Leyland, Scherzer retired Jose Lobaton to end the threat.
Colome (1-1) was charged with four earned runs on four hits and two walks in six innings.
Joaquin Benoit picked up his fifth save.
NOTES: Rays 3B Evan Longoria left the game after the second inning because he irritated the plantar fasciitis in his right foot running to first on a second-inning groundout. He will be re-evaluated on Saturday. The All-Star has played in all 80 Rays games this season after managing just 74 last season because of multiple injuries. ... Detroit's Miguel Cabrera extended his hitting streak to 13 games with the first-inning home run. ... Cabrera has 23 multi-homer games in the majors. ... Defending American League Cy Young Award-winner David Price will come off the disabled list to start for the Rays on Tuesday at Houston. Price has been on the DL since May 16 with a triceps strain. He is 1-4 with a 5.24 ERA after going 20-5 with a 2.56 ERA last season. He is expected to make three starts before the All-Star break on June 15. ... Rays RHP Alex Cobb played catch with a trainer on Friday. It was his first on-field activity since being struck in the head with an Eric Hosmer line drive while pitching at Tropicana Field on June 15.
