DETROIT (AP) — Jonathan Aranda homered and Drew Rasmussen gave up three hits in six strong innings as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the slumping Detroit Tigers 4-1 on Monday night.
Tampa Bay had lost seven of its last 10, but never trailed against the Tigers, who have lost six straight and nine of 10 to fall behind in the race for the final AL wild card.
Rasmussen (14-5) allowed one run to win his seventh straight start. It is the second longest streak in franchise
history, trailing only Blake Snell's nine-start streak in 2018.
Bryan Baker pitched the ninth for his 38th save.
Detroit starter Framber Valdez (8-9) gave up four runs — three earned — on eight hits in six innings. He walked two without striking out a batter.
Tampa Bay took a 2-0 lead in the second. Yandy Diaz led off with a single and took third when left fielder Brett Callahan misplayed Ryan Vilade's base hit. Diaz scored on Junior Caminero's groundout. After an infield single put runners on the corners with one out, Aranda beat out a double-play attempt allowing Vilade to score.
In the fourth, Jorge Mateo started the inning with a double and took third on Nick Fortes' sacrifice bunt. Chandler Simpson put down a squeeze bunt and Mateo beat third baseman Kevin McGonigle's hurried flip to the plate.
Simpson's bunt extended his hitting streak to 15 games.
McGonigle doubled and scored on Callahan's sacrifice fly to make it 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, but Aranda homered in the sixth.
The teams continue the three-game series on Tuesday night, with Detroit RHP Jackson Jobe (1-1, 4.50 ERA) facing Rays LHP Ian Seymour (9-4, 4.17). The visiting team has won all four games this year, with the Tigers the only team to sweep Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field this season.
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