Editor’s note: The 100-Loss Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
Delmon Young‘s walk-off homer in the 10th inning gave the 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays a 4-2 victory over the 1975 Detroit Tigers in the opening round of the 100-Loss Tournament.
With the score tied at 2-2, Rocco Baldelli singled off Detroit starter Mickey Lolich to begin the 10th to fire up the large throng of fans at Tropicana Field. Lolich then retired Aubrey Huff and Dioner Navarro before Young’s two-run blast ended the affair.
Scott Kazmir went the distance for the Devil Rays as he allowed seven hits with one earned run as he fanned 10 and walked one to get the win.
Lolich spent most of his time on the mound working out of jams as he surrendered 15 hits with 10 strikeouts and a walk.
Tampa Bay got on the scoreboard in the second inning when Navarro’s single drove in Baldelli, who had tripled. In the third, Baldelli’s RBI double gave the Devil Rays a 2-0 advantage.
The Tigers tied the game in the top of the seventh on a RBI single by Leon Roberts and a sacrifice fly from Ron LeFlore.
Detroit missed an opportunity in the eighth as the Devil Rays committed two of their five errors in the game, but the Tigers couldn’t get the job done.
100-Loss Tournament
First Round Schedule and Results
1948 White Sox 5, 1988 Orioles 2
2006 Devil Rays 4, 1975 Tigers 2 (10)
1955 Senators (53-101) at 1988 Braves (54-106)
1977 Blue Jays (54-107) at 2012 Cubs (61-101)
1962 Mets (40-120) at 2002 Brewers (56-106)
1980 Mariners (59-103) at 2012 Astros (55-107)
1969 Expos (52-110) at 2006 Royals (62-100)
1981 Padres (41-69) at 2022 Reds (62-100)