The Detroit Tigers were looking to keep a little something going on Wednesday afternoon, even if “something” meant extending their winning streak to just two games. But the Tampa Bay Rays, the best team in the American League, completely shut them down with a dominant 3-0 victory at Comerica Park. It’s tough to win any game when you can only manage two measly singles all afternoon.
Peralta’s Sudden Resurgence Changes Everything For Tampa Bay
Freddy Peralta, the longtime Milwaukee Brewer who got dealt to the Mets in January before landing with the Rays at the trade deadline, has had a rough season. For five good seasons in Milwaukee, Peralta was money: mid-3s ERA, over ten strikeouts per nine innings, and he just plain limited the long ball. But this season, the walks were up, the whiffs were down, and especially since landing with the Rays, his home-run rate had shot through the roof.
But today? Today was *that* guy again. Peralta delivered a gem, silencing the Tigers’ bats from the first pitch. By the bottom of the sixth, he had allowed only his second baserunner all game, a single to Brett Callahan with two outs. The Rays got him at the deadline after a disappointing first half, and if *this* is the Peralta they’re getting, then Tampa Bay just got a serious shot in the arm. The big question now, the one everyone’s whispering, is the same one the analyst asked: Did the Rays fix him? *Perhaps*. This performance was a massive step in the right direction.
Melton Grinds It Out, But Tigers’ Offense Is Gone
On the other side, Detroit’s Troy Melton, making his 12th start, has been sensational this year. His WHIP was just above 1 and his ERA was below 2 coming into today, which is legit impressive for a young arm. Yeah, his last two outings were a bit shaky, giving up three runs in each and not going as deep as he had in late July and early August. But this kid is still developing, still refining his craft.
He had some early jitters in the top of the first, clipping Jonathan Aranda with a pitch and then giving up a single to Junior Caminero. But he buckled down, getting a slick 3-6-1 double play involving Spencer Torkelson and Melton covering first to escape the jam. The Rays did break through in the second. The speedy Chandler Simpson’s grounder ticked off Melton’s glove for an infield single, and Jonny DeLuca then ripped a double to score him. Then a bunt moved DeLuca to third, and Cedric Mullins singled him home to make it 2-0.
After that second inning, both Peralta and Melton started mowing down batters. Melton showed off his arsenal, getting a ton of ground-ball outs with a boatload of different pitches. But the Rays added another in the sixth. A leadoff double, followed by a screaming single at 110 mph off the bat, put runners at the corners. A fly ball to right, probably helped a bit by the wind, served as a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. Melton limited the damage there, too, getting a lineout and a groundout. The real issue for Detroit? Two stinking singles the entire game. You can’t win when you can barely get on base. Max Clark made a nice sliding catch out there, but seriously, highlights were scarce for the home team.
For the Tampa Bay Rays, this game felt like a huge win, not just for the scoreboard, but for what it could mean for Freddy Peralta. If this is him truly back, watch out, American League. As for the Tigers, they’ve got to figure out this offense. Two singles? That’s just not going to cut it, no matter how well your young arms like Troy Melton are developing. They need to come out swinging next time and find a way to spark some run production, because games like this are tough to swallow.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
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