Drew VerHagen tossed five innings of scoreless relief, rookie Travis Demeritte had two hits and scored a run, and the Detroit Tigers edged the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 on Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

VerHagen (3-2) allowed three hits and a walk while striking out three. Joe Jimenez replaced him and got the last three outs for his third save. Tampa Bay had runners on the corners with two outs in the ninth, but Jimenez struck out Eric Sogard to end the game.

Tigers starter Daniel Norris pitched three innings, allowing one hit and two walks and striking out three before a blister issue flared up.

Jordy Mercer hit an RBI double for Detroit, which notched its third shutout this season.

Rays starter Charlie Morton (13-5) only gave up an unearned run and three hits in seven innings. He walked none and struck out 10. Matt Duffy had three of Tampa Bay's five hits.

Morton wasted no time establishing control, setting down Victor Reyes, Dawel Lugo and Miguel Cabrera on strikes.

Tampa Bay had two baserunners to open the second, but Norris recovered and retired the next three batters, including strikeouts of Kevin Kiermaier and Guillermo Heredia.

Detroit's first baserunner was Demeritte, who singled in the third. He was erased on a double play.

An error by Rays third baseman Duffy with one out in the fourth allowed Lugo to reach base. That proved costly when Lugo advanced on Niko Goodrum's two-out double and scored on a Travis d'Arnaud passed ball.

Detroit turned its second double play of the game in the sixth and recorded the third out when catcher Jake Rogers threw out Austin Meadows on a steal attempt.

Second baseman Goodrum robbed Jesus Aguilar of a hit in the bottom of the seventh with a diving stop and bounced throw to first. Sogard hit a two-out double, but VerHagen responded by striking out Kiermaier.

Demeritte led off the eighth against Peter Fairbanks with a double to right-center. He scored one out later on Mercer's double to left.

Rays reliever Oliver Drake struck out three batters in the ninth.

--Field Level Media