DETROIT — Jordan Zimmermann and Miguel Cabrera helped the Tigers to a comfortable lead — then they both had to leave with injuries.

Zimmermann exited in the sixth with a strained right groin, and Cabrera was taken out in the seventh with a bruised knee. The Tigers held on without them for a 9-4 victory over the Rays on Sunday, but health concerns for two key players dominated the postgame talk.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Zimmermann was having an MRI.

“We're going to hold off on anything concerning Zimm until we get a diagnosis,” Ausmus said. “You don't want to see the guy who has been your best pitcher get injured, but we'll reserve judgment until we find out what it is. We know it's the groin, but we don't know how severe.”

Cabrera and Victor Martinez homered for the Tigers.

Zimmermann (7-2) allowed two runs and five hits in 52/3 innings — this was the first start all season in which he didn't make it through six.

Cabrera left with a left knee bruise after being hit by a pitch in the seventh.

“I don't expect Miggy's to be anything serious,” Ausmus said. “He got hit right on a nerve that sent a little pain from his knee down his leg. The level of concern there is much lower than with Zimm.”

Logan Morrison and Tim Beckham homered for the Rays, but that wasn't enough to overcome a poor outing by Chris Archer (3-5).

J.D. Martinez hit an RBI double in the first and scored on Cabrera's single. After Morrison tied it with a two-run homer in the second, the Tigers scored again on an RBI triple by Andrew Romine.