Tigers rally late to move closer to playoffs with 4-3 win over Rays

DETROIT (AP) — Justyn-Henry Malloy’s eighth-inning sacrifice fly helped the Detroit Tigers rally from a 3-0 deficit to move closer to the postseason with a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon.

“We do believe in what we can accomplish,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Whether that’s magic, whether that’s momentum, whether that’s mojo, whether that’s vibe, whatever, we love it and we want more of it.”

Detroit, which has won five straight, is tied with Kansas City for the second and third American League wildcard spots, 2 1/2 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins.

“We’re bringing the energy right now,” said rookie Colt Keith, who drove in two runs and scored another. “We have such a good team. I love this group.”

The Tigers trailed 3-2 with one out in the eighth, but Riley Greene singled off Garrett Cleavinger (7-5) and Matt Vierling drew a walk.

Keith tied the game with an RBI single, bringing up Malloy — the last position player on the Tigers bench — to pinch hit for Kerry Carpenter. He lifted a fly ball to medium center and Vierling easily beat Jose Siri’s throw.

“They have four lefties in their bullpen, and we knew (Malloy) was going to hit against one of them,” Hinch said. “He was waiting all day for that specific spot.”

Beau Brieske (4-4) got the win with two innings of relief. Jason Foley pitched the ninth for his 27th save.

Rays starter Tyler Alexander allowed four hits and struck out six without walking a batter. He has a 2.00 ERA in two career outings against Detroit, where he spent the first five seasons of his career.

The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the third. Ben Rortvedt and Taylor Walls singled with one out and scored on Brandon Lowe’s two-out base hit.

Walls tripled with one out in the fifth and scored on Casey Mize’s wild pitch.

The Tigers got on the board in the sixth when Hunter Bigge walked Vierling with two outs before Keith hit an RBI triple. Carpenter followed with a pinch-hit single to make it 3-2.

“That’s the last team in baseball that you want to give any momentum,” Cash said. “They are doing a lot of good things right now.”

Kevin Kelly pitched a perfect seventh, extending his scoreless streak to 23 1/3 innings over 25 outings.

Rays: Travel to Boston to start a weekend series with the Red Sox, needing three wins to finish 81-81. RHP Taj Bradley (7-11, 4.30) will start Friday’s opener against RHP Nick Pivetta (6-11, 4.21).

Tigers: Remain at home for three games against the White Sox, knowing that two wins will clinch the franchise’s first postseason spot in 10 years. They have not announced their rotation for the final series, since it will depend on the playoff race.

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