Shields has solid start, Joyce hits tiebreaking double and Tampa Bay beats Detroit 3-2

Shields continues Rays’ solid pitching

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — James Shields gave up two runs over 6 2-3 innings, Matt Joyce hit a tiebreaking RBI double and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Shields (9-9) allowed nine hits, one walk and had seven strikeouts one day after teammate Matt Garza threw the Rays’ first no-hitter. Tampa Bay went up 3-2 when Joyce, who hit a grand slam Monday, had a broken-bat run-scoring double during the sixth.

Carlos Pena put the Rays ahead 2-0 on a two-run homer in the first. Carl Crawford had three stolen bases, giving him 37 this season.

Detroit’s Justin Verlander (12-6) allowed three runs and five hits in his second complete game of the season.

Rays center fielder B.J. Upton left in the first inning with a sprained left ankle. He was hurt while moving in on Will Rhymes’ one-out single. After spending two minutes on the turf, Upton was able to walk off the field.

Rhymes’ first major league hit was also the first hit of the game for Detroit, which was limited to one walk by Garza in Tampa Bay’s 5-0 win Monday night.

Detroit tied it at 2 in the sixth on Ryan Raburn’s RBI infield single. A second run scored on the play when shortstop Jason Bartlett was charged with an error for an errant throw to first.

Rafael Soriano, the Rays’ fourth reliever, struggled in the ninth before getting his 27th save. After loading the bases with one out, Tampa Bay’s All-Star closer induced a double play grounder from triple crown contender Miguel Cabrera.

Cabrera doubled in the fourth, but was later thrown out at plate when he tried to score after Shields’ pitch in the dirt eluded catcher John Jaso. Shields took a throw and tagged out Cabrera after Jaso tracked down the loose ball.

Cabrera was intentionally walked by left-hander Randy Choate with runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh. Rays manager Joe Maddon then brought in right-hander Grant Balfour, who struck out left-handed hitting Brennan Boesch on three pitches.

The Tigers failed to score during the fifth despite having runners on second and third with no outs.

NOTES: Tigers manager Jim Leyland expects to get fined for his ejection in Monday night’s game when he accidentally sprayed sunflower seeds on umpire Marty Foster during an argument. … Maddon has no plans to have postgame celebration rules after Florida LF Chris Coghlan hurt his left knee while delivering a pie in the face to a teammate Sunday. “No Maddon’s rules,” Maddon said. “Come on boys, just use some common sense.” Los Angeles Angels 1B Kendry Morales broke his left leg during a celebration on May 29.