ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - David Price keeps on pitching like an all-star.
Price became the AL's first 14-game winner, Carlos Pena had four RBIs, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Detroit Tigers, 4-2, Thursday to complete a four-game sweep.
"He's one of the best pitchers, there's no question about it. Everybody knows that," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He's a power pitcher. He basically comes at you with power."
Price (14-5) allowed two runs and seven hits in 61/3 innings, tying the team record for wins in a season. He struck out nine and walked two.
"We've played good baseball," said Price, who started the All-Star Game for the AL. "We're trying to keep it going. We're working hard. Our starting staff gets after it."
Pena hit a second-inning solo homer and added a two-run single during the third that went off the glove of first baseman Miguel Cabrera to put the Rays up 3-1. Pena made it 4-2 with an eighth-inning infield single that deflected off the glove of a lunging Cabrera.
"I hit them pretty hard, so it was a tough play for him," Pena said. "One of them was one of those top-spinners - a slider right to him. I'm just glad it was able to work out in our favor."
Rays manager Joe Maddon's unconventional approach worked for the third consecutive game when he intentionally walked Cabrera with runners on first and second in the seventh with two outs. With Tampa Bay ahead 3-2, Randy Choate retired rookie Brennan Boesch on a grounder.
Boesch struck out and flied out against Grant Balfour in the similar circumstance Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Sometimes this is a good process for him to have to fight through it, and I think he will," Leyland said.
Detroit 001 000 100 – 2 7 0
Tampa Bay 012 000 01x – 4 6 0
Detroit AB R H BI Avg. Tampa Bay AB R H BI Avg.
A.Jackson cf 5 0 1 1 .313 Rodriguez 2b-cf 3 2 1 0 .260
Santiago ss 4 0 2 1 .273 Crawford lf 4 0 1 0 .309
Damon dh 4 0 0 0 .281 Longoria 3b 3 0 0 0 .294
Mi.Cabrera 1b 3 0 0 0 .347 C.Pena 1b 4 1 3 4 .216
Boesch rf 4 0 1 0 .300 Joyce rf 2 0 0 0 .227
Raburn lf 3 0 1 0 .210 b-Bartlett ph-ss 1 0 0 0 .243
Laird c 3 0 0 0 .179 W.Aybar dh 4 0 0 0 .253
Gallery: Phils 3, D'Backs 2
Video: Dave Murphy talks Oswalt and streaking Phils
