Tampa Bay Rays vs Detroit Tigers mlb live stream online radio commentary and audio feed espn 360 gamecast webcast review score power ranking all in one. 1:05 PM ET, May 25, 2011 Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan: With an opportunity to add to their winning streak, the Detroit Tigers are also looking at a franchise first.
The Tigers will try to complete their first three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park while going for a fourth straight win Wednesday.
"In order to be a championship team you've got to be able to come from behind and win one-run games and withstand that kind of pressure," said Avila, who's recorded two hits in four of his last five games following a 1-for-13 slump from May 10-16.
Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer, his ninth of the year and first in Detroit since April 10. The Tigers have scored 15 times during a three-game winning streak following a five-game slide in which they totaled seven runs.
Detroit's only sweep of the Rays came Sept. 4-6, 2009, in St. Petersburg, Fla., and the Tigers' Brad Penny (4-4, 4.45 ERA) will try to get his fourth win in five starts while perhaps making some history.
The right-hander yielded five runs over 21 2/3 innings in his first three May games en route to wins over the New York Yankees, Toronto and a fantastic outing against Kansas City on May 14, when he allowed five hits in eight innings of the Tigers' 3-0 win.
But Penny failed to keep his surge going Friday at Pittsburgh. In 5 2/3 innings, he was tagged for five runs and six hits with a season-high five walks in the 10-1 loss.
"Just too many walks and they got three infield hits off me," said Penny, 2-4 with a 4.95 ERA in six career starts against Tampa Bay.
Ex-Tiger Johnny Damon is 0 for 6 and Evan Longoria 0 for 5 all-time against Penny.
Matt Joyce had three hits Tuesday for the Rays, including his eighth homer, to raise his AL-leading batting average to .367. Joyce, who hadn't hit higher than .252 in any of his three previous seasons, had 12 homers in 92 games as a rookie with the Tigers in 2008.
"It has been a tough week," Joyce said after Tampa Bay's sixth loss in eight games. "We've got to find ways to win these games."
Andy Sonnanstine (0-1, 4.21) will make his fourth start in place of the injured Jeff Niemann (back) for Tampa Bay.
As a reliever, Sonnanstine had no record and a 2.19 ERA in six games this year. Since returning to the rotation on May 10, he's failed to go past the fifth inning while posting a 6.08 ERA.
Following a loss to Baltimore on May 15, Sonnanstine did not get a decision in the Rays' 5-3 setback to Florida on Friday. In five innings, the right-hander was reached for three runs -- two on solo homers by Logan Morrison and Mike Stanton in the fourth -- and seven hits.
Sonnanstine has served up five homers in 13 1/3 innings as a starter compared to one over 12 1/3 in relief.
He has not faced the Tigers since splitting two starts in 2008. The loss came at Detroit after he allowed five runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings as the Rays (26-23) fell 6-4 on Sept. 26.
The Tigers will try to complete their first three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park while going for a fourth straight win Wednesday.
Gameday LineupsDetroit (25-23) followed a 6-3 victory Monday by rallying for a 7-6 win Tuesday. Alex Avila's second homer of the game, a two--run drive in the eighth inning, helped lift the Tigers after his solo homer in the sixth made it 6-5.
NO. Tampa Bay Detroit
1. S. Rodriguez, SS A. Jackson, CF
2. B. Zobrist, 2B D. Kelly, 3B
3. J. Damon, DH B. Boesch, RF
4. E. Longoria, 3B M. Cabrera, 1B
5. M. Joyce, RF V. Martinez, DH
6. B. Upton, CF A. Dirks, LF
7. C. Kotchman, 1B J. Peralta, SS
8. J. Ruggiano, LF A. Avila, C
9. K. Shoppach, C S. Sizemore, 2B
"In order to be a championship team you've got to be able to come from behind and win one-run games and withstand that kind of pressure," said Avila, who's recorded two hits in four of his last five games following a 1-for-13 slump from May 10-16.
Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer, his ninth of the year and first in Detroit since April 10. The Tigers have scored 15 times during a three-game winning streak following a five-game slide in which they totaled seven runs.
Detroit's only sweep of the Rays came Sept. 4-6, 2009, in St. Petersburg, Fla., and the Tigers' Brad Penny (4-4, 4.45 ERA) will try to get his fourth win in five starts while perhaps making some history.
The right-hander yielded five runs over 21 2/3 innings in his first three May games en route to wins over the New York Yankees, Toronto and a fantastic outing against Kansas City on May 14, when he allowed five hits in eight innings of the Tigers' 3-0 win.
But Penny failed to keep his surge going Friday at Pittsburgh. In 5 2/3 innings, he was tagged for five runs and six hits with a season-high five walks in the 10-1 loss.
"Just too many walks and they got three infield hits off me," said Penny, 2-4 with a 4.95 ERA in six career starts against Tampa Bay.
Ex-Tiger Johnny Damon is 0 for 6 and Evan Longoria 0 for 5 all-time against Penny.
Matt Joyce had three hits Tuesday for the Rays, including his eighth homer, to raise his AL-leading batting average to .367. Joyce, who hadn't hit higher than .252 in any of his three previous seasons, had 12 homers in 92 games as a rookie with the Tigers in 2008.
"It has been a tough week," Joyce said after Tampa Bay's sixth loss in eight games. "We've got to find ways to win these games."
Andy Sonnanstine (0-1, 4.21) will make his fourth start in place of the injured Jeff Niemann (back) for Tampa Bay.
As a reliever, Sonnanstine had no record and a 2.19 ERA in six games this year. Since returning to the rotation on May 10, he's failed to go past the fifth inning while posting a 6.08 ERA.
Following a loss to Baltimore on May 15, Sonnanstine did not get a decision in the Rays' 5-3 setback to Florida on Friday. In five innings, the right-hander was reached for three runs -- two on solo homers by Logan Morrison and Mike Stanton in the fourth -- and seven hits.
Sonnanstine has served up five homers in 13 1/3 innings as a starter compared to one over 12 1/3 in relief.
He has not faced the Tigers since splitting two starts in 2008. The loss came at Detroit after he allowed five runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings as the Rays (26-23) fell 6-4 on Sept. 26.
