Bats still slumbering as Tigers skid continues with 6th straight loss

The Detroit Tigers‘ late August tumble continued on Monday, Aug. 24.

The Tigers didn’t offer much resistance at the plate in the series-opening game against the American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Detroit finished with one run on five hits while Tampa Bay jumped on Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez for a first-inning lead they would not relinquish in a 4-1 Detroit loss.

Tampa starter Drew Rasmussen silenced a Tigers offense that came into Monday averaging just under four runs per game during a malaise that has seen them drop eight of nine games coming into the homestand.

We might be underselling the greatness of Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle

Valdez gave up three earned runs and four total on eight hits across six innings. He dropped to 8-9 with a 4.35 ERA in his first season with the Tigers.

The Tigers (61-70) have lost six straight games, and nine of 10 since coming within one game of .500 on Aug. 13. The Rays (78-53) extended their lead atop the AL and the AL East.

The first Tigers runner came on a Javier Báez single with two outs in the third inning.

Kevin McGonigle finally got things going with an opposite-field double into the left-center gap in the fourth. Dillon Dingler moved him over to third base with a bloop single, and then Brett Callahan drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

But the Tigers did not have much for Rasmussen outside of the fourth. The Rays right-hander retired the last eight batters he faced following the fourth-inning run.

Rasmussen gave up one run on three hits across six innings. He generated 12 whiffs from Tigers hitters, primarily with his cutter and changeup.

The Tigers went without a hit from the fourth inning until the eighth. First baseman Spencer Torkelson snapped the drought with a leadoff double to left field and Colt Keith worked a two-out walk, but Rays reliever Manuel Rodríguez got out of the jam by striking out second baseman Hao-Yu Lee.

The Tigers had two runners reach in the ninth, but Bryan Baker stranded both for a clean save.

Valdez, who has had trouble early in starts, dealt with more first-inning issues Monday. The Tigers starter gave up three hits in the top of the first, leading to a two-run Rays lead before the Tigers hit. Those runs, his 20th and 21st allowed in 26 opening frames (with 25⅔ total innings thrown), brought his first-inning ERA to 7.36.

Valdez got some help in the third inning when a quick relay including right fielder Zach McKinstry and Lee cut down Junior Caminero at the plate (following a replay review)while he was trying to score on a Jonny DeLuca double.

Tampa got to Valdez again with a double and RBI single by Chandler Simpson in the fourth. Jonathan Aranda pushed the lead back to three runs with a solo home run off Valdez to lead off the sixth inning.

Valdez threw 84 pitches, including 54 for strikes. He primarily relied on his sinker, curveball and changeup, combining to throw those three pitches 77 times. He generated zero misses from Tampa batters on 41 total swings.

Tanner Rainey pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings in relief. Rainey walked two hitters but did not surrender a hit or run.

The Rays and Tigers will meet again on Tuesday (6:40 p.m,, Detroit SportsNet). Right-hander Jackson Jobe (1-1, 4.50 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for Detroit against Tampa Bay lefty Ian Seymour (9-4, 4.17 ERA).

Contact Jared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bats still slumbering as Tigers skid continues with 6th straight loss