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Rays' AL East Push Stalled By 7-5 Loss To Tigers

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Ben Zobrist homered twice, but Tampa Bay's magic number stayed at one for the AL East Division title.

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The Associated Press

Published: September 25, 2008

DETROIT - The Rays' AL East title celebration was delayed by the Detroit Tigers. Scott Kazmir allowed four homers, two to Ramon Santiago, and the Rays lost to the Tigers 7-5 today.

Having already secured no worse than a wild-card berth, the Rays would have clinched the division with a victory. The Boston Red Sox, however, stayed alive in the East race with a 6-1 win over Cleveland on Thursday night.

Kazmir (12-8) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings, struck out eight and walked two. He allowed four homers for the second time in three starts - the only times he's allowed four in a game in his career.

Ben Zobrist homered twice and had four RBIs for the Rays, headed to their first playoff appearance.

The game drew 36,259, raising the Tigers' home season total to a team record 3,081,098, just ahead of the previous mark of 3,047,139, set last year. The reeling Tigers, headed to their first losing season since Jim Leyland became manager in 2006, won for just the second time in 14 games.

Rookie Armando Galarraga allowed five runs and six hits in 7 2-3 innings, and Fernando Rodney finished for his 11th save. The Rays got just one hit in the first six innings - Zobrist's solo homer in the first.

Santiago homered leading off the first and third innings, his first two-homer game since June 3, 2002, against Boston's Pedro Martinez and Tim Wakefield.

Mike Hessman homered leading off the fourth and Dusty Ryan connected starting the fifth for a 4-1 lead.

Evan Longoria homered for the Rays in the seventh, but the Tigers went ahead 7-2 in the bottom half, when Curtis Granderson homered.

Zobrist hit a three-run homer in the eighth.

Notes: If the Tigers have to go to Chicago on Monday to make up a rainout against the White Sox, they would start former Chicago pitcher Freddy Garcia. The game would be played only if needed to decided the AL Central race between Minnesota and Chicago. ... Tigers closer Todd Jones, who announced his retirement Wednesday, held an emotional news conference before the game. Jones, Detroit's career saves leader, is to be honored in a pregame ceremony on Saturday.

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