Harold Castro hit a tiebreaking, two-out homer in the ninth inning as the Detroit Tigers won their fourth straight game by edging the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 Monday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.
With the game tied at 2, Castro lifted an 0-1 fastball from Andrew Kittredge (3-1) deep to right-center for his first homer and the game-winning blow, making a winner of reliever Michael Fulmer (2-2).
Closer Gregory Soto allowed a single but retired Mike Zunino with a flyout to center field to shut down the Rays in the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances.
Jonathan Schoop swatted a two-run homer, and Willi Castro went 2-for-4. Miguel Cabrera collected a single to stretch his hitting streak to seven games.
A native of Tampa, Detroit starter Alex Faedo was strong over 5 2/3 innings in his third career start and first-ever in a big-league uniform in front of his family and friends. He allowed one run and four hits in the outing, striking out four and walking one in his 83-pitch effort.
For the Rays, Brett Phillips had a big night at the plate by going 3-for-3 with a homer, double, two runs scored and an RBI.
In his seventh start, Tampa Bay’s Corey Kluber yielded two runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out a season-high eight and didn’t issue a walk.
After Cabrera’s leadoff single in the fourth, Schoop barreled up an 88 mph sinker from Kluber that ran inside on the right-handed hitter. The long homer to left field, an estimated 404 feet, was Schoop’s third this season.
Leading off the sixth, Phillips launched a towering shot off Faedo’s 91 mph four-seam fastball, a majestic blast down the right-field line that caromed off the C-ring near the roof of the domed stadium. The ball bounced back into right field as the fleet Phillips sped around the bases.
Detroit manager A.J. Hinch challenged the play, but the home-run call was upheld for Phillips’ third long ball.
Phillips legged out a hustle double in the eighth with Detroit playing its outfield deep, and a walk to Yandy Diaz and a wild pitch led to Wander Franco’s tying sacrifice fly.
–Field Level Media
