Tigers again start strong, blow past Rays to complete sweep

Detroit's Dillon Dingler drove in four runs as the Tigers completed a sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays by scoring six times in the first four innings Wednesday afternoon, easing away from the American League East leaders 7-2 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Dingler, the designated hitter, went 2-for-4 and was hit by a pitch. His fourth-inning homer was his third of the series and one of 10 Detroit deep shots in the sweep.

Gleyber Torres was 3-for-5 with a double and three runs. Jake Rogers had two hits, including a solo homer. Kevin McGonigle managed a double, a single and a run. Riley Greene had two singles and a walk.

In his third start, Troy Melton (2-0) was sharp and yielded two runs on just four hits in eight innings. He fanned five and walked two over 94 pitches.

Cedric Mullins had a solo homer and Yandy Diaz singled in a run, but the Rays produced just four hits - none after the second inning - and fell to 2-8 in their past 10.

Nick Martinez (5-2), who had allowed two runs or fewer in his first 11 starts, was battered for six runs on nine hits in four innings. He struck out one and walked one in his shortest outing of the season.

Mason Englert, recalled from Triple-A Durham earlier in the day, allowed one run on four hits over five innings in relief of Martinez.

Just as it did in the series' first two games, Detroit ambushed a Rays starter in the first inning.

Two batters after Torres' leadoff double, Dingler singled the second baseman in for a 1-0 lead. However, Martinez retired Spencer Torkelson on a flyout with two runners on, and the Rays evened it with Diaz's RBI single in the bottom half.

Rogers belted a first-pitch sinker up in the zone to left for his first 2026 homer in the top of the second, but Mullins immediately answered with his fourth to right-center to knot it again at 2-all.

The visitors scored for the third straight inning on a sacrifice fly by Torkelson for their third lead, and Dingler plated three more with his 14th long ball in the fourth for a 6-2 advantage.

Melton finished his outing by retiring 20 of the final 21 hitters he faced, giving up only the second of Jonathan Aranda's two walks.

Kerry Carpenter's sacrifice fly in the ninth completed the scoring.

--Field Level Media