Slugging Rays keep foot on gas in Detroit

DETROIT — Kevin Kiermaier broke a tie in the sixth inning with a bases-clearing triple, helping send the Rays to their fourth straight win, a 7-5 victory over the Tigers on Friday night at Comerica Park.

The victory ended Detroit’s four-game winning streak.

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Though Steven Souza Jr. hit a leadoff homer in Tampa Bay’s three-run first inning off Anibal Sanchez, the first of Miguel Cabrera’s two home runs tied it at 3 in the third. Sanchez settled down to retire 10 in a row, but the third time through the order haunted him. Lefty Kyle Ryan came within an out of stranding his two inherited baserunners before walking the left-handed-hitting Logan Morrison. Kiermaier, also a left-handed hitter, jumped on Ryan’s next pitch and ripped it into the right-field corner.

Detroit closed to within one by plating a run in the sixth and seventh, the latter coming on Cabrera’s second homer, but Steve Pearce’s eighth-inning solo drive provided the Rays an insurance run. Representing the tying run with two outs in the ninth inning, Cabrera singled to extend the Tigers’ rally, but Victor Martinez grounded out to end the game.

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