DETROIT -- Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings in a 3-0 win Wednesday afternoon over the Tigers at Comerica Park, looking a lot like the pitcher who won 17 games last season. Those were the only hits for Detroit as relievers Kevin Kelly and Tyler Wells shut the door over the last three innings.
Peralta, who struck out four with no walks, gave up opposite-field singles to Dillon Dingler in the second inning and Brett Callahan in the sixth to dominate Detroit, much like he did the National League last August. He was 4-0 with an 0.32 ERA that month for the Brewers, who traded him and his 2.70 ERA in January to the Mets.
“Fastball” Freddy had been far from impressive this season, though. He entered the game at 5-11 with a 5.33 ERA for Tampa Bay and the Mets, who traded him on Aug. 2 for three prospects. He’d been 0-2 with a 7.17 ERA in four starts for the Rays.
His new team got him all the runs he needed in the second against Detroit starter Troy Melton, who entered with a 1.70 ERA. Chandler Simpson beat out an infield single and scored all the way from first on a screaming double to the left-field corner by Jonny DeLuca. Cedric Mullins brought home DeLuca with a clutch two-out single before getting thrown out at second.
Elite setup reliever Kelly pitched two perfect innings in the seventh and eighth before Wells came on for the save with a 1-2-3 ninth to celebrate his 32nd birthday.
Tampa Bay left-hander Shane McClanahan was prophetic with his pregame comments on Peralta and his work in building confidence and sharpening his arsenal with pitching coach Kyle Snyder.
“Great person. Great competitor. A great teammate and he’s been a workhorse so far, taking the ball,” McClanahan said. “And, you know, he’s only going to get better for us. That relationship with Snydes is going to grow and get deeper, and he’s going to be the best version of himself very soon.”