The losing skid continues for the Tampa Bay Rays. Facing the Detroit Tigers in a primetime, FOX telecast, the Rays stumbled once again, surrendering 11 hits in a 6-2 defeat, the team's fifth loss in the last six contests and falling another game back of the New York Yankees in the A.L. East standings.
Tampa Bay, though, did make a late rally. Trailing 4-0 while heading into the bottom half of the eighth, Jeff Keppinger and Carlos Pena launched solo home runs, respectively, to narrow the deficit to just two runs. But in the top of the ninth inning. the Tigers would punch in two runs off reliever Burke Badenhop to, largely, put the game out of reach.
Rays' starter, Jeremy Hellickson, who left in the bottom of the third because of a bruised right shin following a line drive from Prince Fielder, was charged with the loss.
The series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1:40 p.m. EST.
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