Brett Phillips blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th and the host Tampa Bay Rays rallied from a three-run deficit in the ninth to pull out a 7-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Phillips’ homer came after Bryan Garcia (2-2) walked leadoff batter Taylor Walls. Andrew Kittredge (9-3) held the Tigers scoreless in the top of the inning and collected the victory.
Yandy Diaz had a two-run, pinch-hit single in the ninth. Tampa Bay starter Luis Patino gave up four runs on six hits in six innings, striking out four with one walk. Ji-Man Choi had two hits and a run scored for the American League East-leading Rays (92-56).
Akil Baddoo homered for Detroit. Harold Castro and Niko Goodrum each doubled, scored a run and drove in another for the Tigers (70-78).
Detroit starter Casey Mize, who is on an innings limit, gave up one run on three hits in three innings. He whiffed three and issued one walk.
Baddoo gave Detroit the lead with his 13th homer of the season on the third pitch of the game with his blast to right field.
Tampa Bay tied it in the bottom of the inning. Choi hit a one-out single, advanced to third on Randy Arozarena’s double and scored on Austin Meadows’ sacrifice fly.
The Tigers wasted little time regaining the lead, as they pushed across two runs in the second. Castro led off with a double and scored on Goodrum’s one-out double. Goodrum moved up on a Patino wild pitch and scored on Victor Reyes’ groundout.
Detroit made it 4-1 in the third. The Tigers loaded the bases as Robbie Grossman walked with one out, then Miguel Cabrera and Jeimer Candelario singled. Grossman scored on Castro’s sacrifice fly.
The Rays’ ninth-inning rally began when they loaded the bases with two singles and a walk against Gregory Soto. Diaz drove in two runs with a single and Arozarena tied it with a sacrifice fly.
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–Field Level Media