ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The Tigers answered Tampa Bay’s challenge with power and strong pitching, defeating the Rays 6-4 at Tropicana Field to grab a 2-1 lead in the AL Division Series.
After rough outings from Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez in the first two games, Detroit turned to Jack Flaherty to stabilize the rotation — and he delivered. Flaherty worked into the seventh inning, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out 10 in one of his sharpest outings of the postseason.
Detroit’s offense backed him early. Colt Keith opened the scoring with a solo homer to center in the second inning, and the Tigers added two more runs in the third to build a 3-0 advantage.
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The Rays were quiet until the seventh, when Austin Hays connected for a solo homer off Flaherty. After striking out Jake Fraley, Flaherty allowed a triple to J.T. Realmuto, who later scored on a hit by Cedric Mullins to trim Detroit’s lead to 3-2.
The Tigers answered immediately in the eighth. Keith struck again with a towering two-run homer that traveled 444 feet to right-center, extending the lead to 5-2. Riley Greene added a solo shot in the ninth to push the margin to four runs.
Tampa Bay refused to go quietly. The Rays scored twice with two outs in the ninth to cut the deficit to 6-4 before closer Matt Svanson entered and ended the threat by striking out Gavin Lux swinging at a low sinker to seal the victory.
