Fossum outduels Rogers in Devil Rays' win vs. Tigers

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Detroit manager Jim Leyland didn't need much time to express his unhappiness after a 7-3 loss at Tampa Bay on Monday night.

"Write this down," Leyland said after his AL Central-leading Tigers were beaten by the Devil Rays. "There was a manager, six coaches and 25 people in Tiger uniforms tonight. Thirty-two total. And we all stunk. And that's all I got for you."

Casey Fossum allowed one run over seven innings, and Damon Hollins and Travis Lee hit two-run homers to lead Tampa Bay.

Elias Says
Rogers Kenny Rogers allowed five earned runs in five innings to take the loss in the Devils Rays' 7-3 victory over the Tigers. On the heels of Jeremy Bonderman's loss on Sunday, it marked only the second time in the last two months that Detroit's starting pitchers lost consecutive games. • For more Elias Says, click here

Fossum (5-4) gave up six hits and matched his career high with 10 strikeouts in beating All-Star game starter Kenny Rogers (11-5).

"Without that pitching performance, it could have been a different kind of a day." Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "Casey's performance lent to today's success."

Hollins and Lee homered off Rogers, who allowed six runs, five hits and four walks and struck out three over five-plus innings.

"Whatever happens, it starts with me," Rogers said.

Rogers lasted just two-thirds of an inning in his previous start Tuesday, giving up seven runs, five hits and three walks in a 12-7 loss to Cleveland. He is 0-2 with two no-decisions and a 10.34 ERA since the All-Star game.

"A bad streak," Rogers said. "Frustrating as it is, I expect a lot more than that like everybody else I'm sure. If I had a remedy for it, I would have done it a long time ago and never get myself in these fixes. I'm not going to give up trying."

Detroit catcher Ivan Rodriguez returned to the lineup after missing four games with a sore right thumb. He went 0-for-5 and struck out four times.

The Tigers committed four errors for the second consecutive game. They also walked five on Monday.

"The game spoke for itself," Detroit first base coach Andy Van Slyke said.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead on Dmitri Young's second-inning RBI groundout, but he committed three errors at first base over the first five innings.

Hollins put Tampa Bay ahead 2-1 with his 12th homer in the fourth. Hollins went 3-for-3 against Rogers, and has five hits in six at-bats overall off the left-hander.

The Devil Rays made it 3-1 in the fifth when Rocco Baldelli scored from second after Young misplayed shortstop Carlos Guillen's throw. Guillen was attempting to complete a double play on Jorge Cantu's grounder. Cantu advanced to second on Young's second error during the play, an errant throw to the plate.

Young also mishandled a throw by Rogers on a pickoff attempt in the second.

Tampa Bay went up 7-1 with a four-run sixth. Lee hit his eighth homer before Carl Crawford drove in two runs with a single off Wilfredo Ledezma.

The Devil Rays have scored 59 runs in their five wins since the All-Star break. In 12 losses, they have only 31 runs.

Craig Monroe and Young his consecutive homers in the ninth off Brian Meadows.

Game notes
Rogers is 1-4 in five career starts at Tropicana Field. Overall, he is 9-4 against Tampa Bay. ... The Tigers obtained 1B Sean Casey from Pittsburgh for minor league RHP Brian Rogers. They also optioned 1B Chris Shelton to Triple-A Toledo. ... Tampa Bay traded SS Julio Lugo to the Los Angeles Dodgers for minor league 3B Joel Guzman and OF Sergio Pedroza. Guzman will join Triple-A Durham, while Pedroza was assigned to Single-A Visalia. ... The Devil Rays will recall INFs B.J. Upton and Ben Zobrist from Durham for Tuesday's game. Maddon said Upton will start at third, replacing the injured Ty Wigginton (broken hand). Zobrist will play at short. ... Guillen was hit in the helmet by Fossum's pickoff attempt at second in the fourth, but remained in the game.