DETROIT - With the bases loaded and nobody out, Tampa Bays Brad Boxberger came out of the bullpen hoping for a strikeout and a double play. The order didnt much matter. "I was looking for the strikeout initially," Boxberger said. "But it worked out to get the double play and limit the damage." Evan Longoria homered, Ben Zobrist doubled twice and the Rays finally broke through offensively against Detroit, but it was Boxbergers relief work that preserved a 6-3 victory over the Tigers on Friday night. Tampa Bay was up 5-2 when he came on in the sixth inning. Torii Hunter hit into a double play, bringing home another run. Then Boxberger struck out Don Kelly to end the inning. Boxberger struck out two more in a perfect seventh before exiting the game. The 26-year-old right-hander now has 51 strikeouts in 33 1-3 innings this year. The Rays had gone 19 straight games against the Tigers without scoring more than four runs, a streak that went back more than three years. Tampa Bay had seven extra-base hits Friday, including a two-run triple by Sean Rodriguez in the sixth. Alex Cobb (4-6) allowed three runs and five hits in five-plus innings for the Rays, and their bullpen allowed only one baserunner. Boxberger was perfect for two innings, Joel Peralta worked the eighth, and Jake McGee finished for his fourth save. Detroits Drew Smyly (4-8) allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings. There were three hit batsmen, and umpires warned both benches in the sixth. After the warnings, Rays manager Joe Maddon argued and was ejected. Desmond Jennings doubled twice and scored three runs for the Rays. Tampa Bay rebounded after an 8-1 loss Thursday to start this four-game series, and the last-place Rays have now won six of seven. Detroits AL Central lead over Kansas City fell to four games. Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez left in the eighth because of back irritation. "He aggravated his side, so we got him out of there," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "The chances of him playing (Saturday) are almost nil, and well go day-to-day after that." Jennings and Zobrist hit back-to-back doubles in the third to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead, and Longoria led off the fourth with his 11th homer of the year. An RBI groundout by Hunter in the bottom of the fourth made it 2-1. Zobrist hit an RBI double in the fifth, and Rodriguezs triple the following inning brought two more runs in. Cobb hit Ian Kinsler to lead off the bottom of the sixth — with Miguel Cabrera on deck. Longoria and Martinez had been hit earlier in the game, so plate umpire Quinn Wolcott warned both benches. "I never thought there was any malice on either side," Ausmus said. "I didnt think Cobb meant to hit Victor, I didnt think Smyly meant to hit Longoria, and I didnt think Cobb meant to hit Kinsler. No one tried to hit anyone." Maddon said he felt the Tigers intentionally hit Longoria, but he said the Rays werent throwing at Kinsler immediately afterward. "We hit Victor, yes. Totally accident, he pulls a fastball. Then they intentionally hit Longo," Maddon said. "Were not going to reciprocate right there. Were not, its over. Were good. But then this whole other thing ensues." Maddon took a few steps out of the dugout, and second base umpire Greg Gibson seemed to motion to him to stay back. Maddon continued arguing from a distance, and after being tossed, Maddon approached Gibson and kept arguing before finally leaving. It was Maddons third ejection of the year and 35th of his career. Cobb didnt get another out. Cabrera walked and Martinez hit an RBI single. After J.D. Martinez walked to load the bases, Boxberger came on and got Hunter to bounce into a double play that brought another run home. "The double play was a big bonus, because hes in there to miss bats in that moment," Maddon said. "You want the guy to either put the ball on the ground or be able to punch somebody out. Now if you get a guy who can do both, how good is that guy?" Kelly struck out to end the threat. Jennings doubled and scored in the seventh to make it 6-3. NOTES: Peralta made his 267th appearance for the Rays, the most for the franchise by a pitcher. Esteban Yan had 266. ... Austin Jackson struck out four times for Detroit and Eugenio Suarez fanned three times. ... The Rays put LHP Cesar Ramos on the paternity list and recalled LHP Jeff Beliveau from Triple-A Durham. ... Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez (5-2) faces Tampa Bay RHP Chris Archer (4-5) on Saturday. Kendrick Nunn Jersey . -- Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana agreed Tuesday to a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles as he tries to come back from the second major operation on his left shoulder. Jimmy Butler Jersey . Toronto ended an 0-4-0 skid with Sundays shootout win over visiting New Jersey, but the club could have a difficult time making it two victories in a row tonight. The Maple Leafs have dropped three straight and 11 of the last 12 regular- season meetings against Boston overall and the Bruins have claimed six straight in Beantown. https://www.heatlockerroom.com/Wayne-Ell...Edition-Jersey/. Dwyane Wade took over in the fourth quarter. Glen Rice Jersey . This game was inside. Adrian Peterson was missing. The stage was set for another step toward the playoffs. Tyler Johnson Jersey . A fully booked flight forced me to leave two hours later. After a nice meal in which I studied the stats of the Argo win, I prepared to leave the restaurant. As I was gathering my things to leave many large individuals began to walk up and wait for tables.Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Matthew Stafford had three touchdown passes, and Joique Bell scored twice as the Detroit Lions pounded the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 34-17, at Ford Field on Sunday. Stafford went 26-for-34 for 311 yards with touchdown passes to Bell, Calvin Johnson and Joseph Fauria for the Lions (9-4), who have won two straight after consecutive road losses. Johnson finished the game with eight catches for 158 yards, while Bell had 18 carries for 83 yards and a rushing touchdown while adding five catches for 50 yards for Detroit. The Lions are still in the hunt for the top spot in the NFC North, as the team sits a half-game back of the Packers for first place. Green Bay hosts Atlanta on Monday night. Josh McCown was under pressure all day as he was sacked six times and took several hard hits. He completed 20-for-39 passes for 250 yards with two touchdown passes, but he was picked off twice and also lost a fumble. Vincent Jackson caught 10 passes for 159 yards, and Mike Evans caught both touchdown passes for the Buccaneers (2-11), who have lost their last three games. Detroit turned the ball over on downs at Tampa Bay 24-yard line on the opening possession of the game. The Buccaneers, though, went three-and-out and the Lions got the ball back at their own 30. Johnson caught a 21-yard pass on 3rd-and-10, while Eric Ebron made a 12-yard grab on 3rd-and-10. Catches of 15 yards by Johnson, and 13- yards from Golden Tate got the ball to the Tampa 6, and Stafford threw a right corner fade that Johnson came down with for a 7-0 lead with 2:57 to play in the first. Tampa Bay came back with a successful drive to get on the board, as Patrick Murray booted a 54-yard field goal down the middle to make it a 7-3 game with 13:32 to play in the half. The Lions then went three-and-out, but the defense came up with a big play as Glover Quin picked off a tipped pass to give his team the ball back at the Tampa 34. Facing a 3rd-and-goal at the Tampa 1, Bell bulled his way up the middle to give his team a 14-3 lead with 6:01 to play in the half. Another turnover from Tampa, this one a fumble from McCown that Detroit recovered at the Tampa 32, led to a 46-yard field goal from Matt Prater that gave the Lions a 17-3 lead with 3:01 to play in the second. Tampa quickkly got into scoring position out of the two-minute warning as McCown went deep and Jackson came up with a 50-yard grab to the Detroit 8.dddddddddddd. The Lions nearly escaped without giving up any points, as James Ihedigbo picked off McCown in the end zone. However, he decided to bring the ball out and wound up getting it stripped, with Tampa getting the ball back at the Detroit 10. Four plays later, McCown found Evans in the left side of the end zone for a 5- yard score to make it a 17-10 game at the break. Detroit forced a Tampa punt on the opening possession of the second half, and a 53-yard catch from Johnson set up a 23-yard boot by Prater for a 10-point lead early in the third. Tampas next two touches ended with punts, and the Lions started a drive at their own 12 that saw Bell gain 27 yards on the first snap. Getting the ball across midfield, Stafford then connected with Johnson for 18 yards to get into the red zone, and Fauria caught a 10-yard score for a 27-10 lead with just 15 seconds left in the third. The Buccaneers came back with their best drive of the game. A 24-yard pass interference call on Detroit got the ball across midfield, and McCown went into the left corner of the end zone for Evans, who used his bicep and helmet to come down with a 26-yard score to make it a 27-17 contest with 12:52 left. Tampa got across midfield on its next possession, but ultimately had to punt, pinning Detroit at its own 8. Bell took the first snap around the right tackle for 57 yards down to the Tampa 35. A 15-yard catch from Johnson got the ball to the 5, and the next snap saw a Stafford pass batted into the air. Bell, though, came down with the ball and ran his way in for a 34-17 lead with 5:01 to play. The Bucs punted on their next drive, and failed on fourth down on their next possession as the Lions held on for the victory. Game Notes The Lions controlled the ball for 36:35 and totaled 407 yards of offense. Tampa managed just 233 yards, including a meager 26 yards on 14 rushing plays ... Detroit hosts Minnesota next Sunday ... Tampa plays in Carolina next Sunday ... Detroit has won three of the last four meetings with Tampa Bay, and leads the series, 30-27 ... It was the 43rd 100-yard game of Johnsons career. ' ' '