That bet didn't pay off. Detroit's lineup went cold, managing just 2 hits across 9 innings and getting shut out for the first time in this stretch, while Tampa Bay's offense did enough scattered damage to make it stand up.
The shutout locked up the series for Tampa Bay, 2 games to 1, avenging Tuesday's loss that had snapped one of Detroit's longer losing skids of the season. It's the kind of finish that's become a pattern for these Tigers — competitive arms undercut by an offense that can't back them up.
Peralta's stat line tells its own story: since arriving in Tampa Bay, his ERA has ballooned well past 7.00, a far cry from the pitcher DraftKings' number still seemed to be pricing. He didn't need to be great Wednesday — the Rays' lineup and Detroit's punchless bats did the heavy lifting instead. Melton, for his part, kept doing what he's done most of the year: cutting down free passes and giving his team a chance, even in a loss.
Tampa Bay leaves Detroit still comfortably atop the AL East at 78-54, while the Tigers slide to 62-70 with a lineup that needs its injured bats back before this offense looks like anything but an afterthought behind a good rotation arm.