Detroit Tigers starter Troy Melton did his part in an afternoon pitchers duel, save for one early inning that put his squad behind for good.
Despite another quality start from Melton, the Tigers lost, 3-0, to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Comerica Park in Detroit. The loss gave the Rays the series win and dropped the Tigers to 62-71.
It was Melton’s ninth quality start of the season, as the righty allowed three runs over seven innings but left with the loss, his third of the year. Melton’s efficient outing didn't help the Tigers match Tampa Bay starter Freddy Peralta, who threw six scoreless innings in his best start since the Rays acquired him at the trade deadline from the New York Mets.
The Rays scored two runs in the second inning,
which turned out to be all the offense they needed to secure the win. Meanwhile, the Tigers recorded just two total hits and didn’t bring a single runner into scoring position.
And the challenge only gets greater for the Tigers. After a day off on Thursday, Aug. 27, Detroit hosts the back-to-back World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game set, with a familiar friend taking the hill on Friday, Aug. 28, for the defending champions.
On the mound: Troy Melton shakes off early trouble
Melton began the day with two runners on and one out in the top of the first inning after a Junior Caminero single moved first baseman Jonathan Aranda to second base. However, Melton got catcher Liam Hicks to ground into the inning-ending double play to first baseman Spencer Torkelson, with Melton himself receiving the inning-ending out at first base on a throw from shortstop Kevin McGonigle.
Melton’s scoreless outing didn’t last much longer, however.
Melton leapt but couldn’t quite reach a high chopper from speedster Chandler Simpson, who landed on first base with an infield hit to lead off the second inning. Right fielder Jonny DeLuca then drove him in with a double down the left-field line before being advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from second baseman Richie Palacios. DeLuca then scored on a two-out single from center fielder Cedric Mullins, though Mullins was thrown out at second base after sliding over the base and getting tagged out by McGonigle.
Before Wednesday, Melton had allowed only one total run in the second innings of his 15 starts in 2026. But the Rays applied the pressure early and rewarded themselves by scoring, taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the second.
Melton settled down in the third inning, getting consecutive strikeouts on Caminero and Hicks to end the scoreless frame before getting three outs on just 10 pitches in the fourth. He did two better in the fifth, needing just eight pitches before exiting that inning.
But consecutive hits from Aranda (double) and Caminero (single) in the sixth inning once again put Melton in a bind. A long sacrifice fly from Hicks then scored Aranda and gave the Rays a 3-0 lead, though Melton limited the sixth-inning damage to one run, escaping the sixth with 72 total pitches.
He finished with seven hits and three earned runs with zero walks and four strikeouts over seven innings. It was the fifth time Melton has pitched at least seven innings in a game in 2026.
At the plate: Freddy Peralta flusters Tigers
The Tigers' offense recorded only one baserunner the first two times through the order, on a one-out single from catcher Dillon Dingler in the second inning. Otherwise, Tampa Bay starter Freddy Peralta was flawless, needing just 47 pitches to get through his first four scoreless innings.
Peralta was especially effective with his changeup, getting eight of his 10 total whiffs on the pitch. He also recorded nine flyouts over his six-inning start, with the Tigers often putting the ball in play but failing to find open grass.
A two-out single from leadoff hitter Brett Callahan gave the Tigers their second baserunner of the game in the sixth inning, as Peralta had set down 13 batters in a row at that point. But Peralta left that inning scoreless, as well, getting McGonigle to strike out looking to end the sixth.
The Tigers didn't fare any better with righty reliever Kevin Kelly on the mound, with the 28-year-old setting down six batters in order in the seventh and eighth inning. Righty Tyler Wells then set the Tigers down in a scoreless ninth to seal the shutout win.
Next up: Tarik Skubal and the Dodgers
The Tigers have an off day on Thursday before starting a three-game home series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Righty Drew Anderson (4-5, 4.09 ERA) will start against Dodgers lefty Tarik Skubal (8-7, 2.91 ERA) in Skubal's first start at Comerica Park as a visiting player.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers continue slide in shutout loss to Rays with Tarik Skubal on deck
