Rays cruise past Tigers 14-8 as Díaz hits 2 homers and Thaiss drives in 4 runs

By: Zak Gilbert, The Associated Press Posted: 10:23 PM CDT Friday, Jun. 20, 2025

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Díaz was 3 for 5 with two homers, Matt Thaiss drove in four runs and every Rays starter had at least one hit in Tampa Bay's 14-8 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Díaz was 3 for 5 with two homers, Matt Thaiss drove in four runs and every Rays starter had at least one hit in Tampa Bay’s 14-8 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

The 14 runs given up was a season high for Detroit, which entered with the best record in the majors.

Díaz hit his 19th career leadoff homer, launching a 3-2 fastball over the right-center fence. In the fifth, his solo shot extended the Rays’ lead to 9-3 and gave him multiple homers in a game for the first time since May 11, 2019.

Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Díaz rounds the bases after his home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, June 20, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Curtis Mead was 2 for 2 with three walks, three runs and an RBI. Díaz, Taylor Walls and Kameron Misner each drove in two for Tampa Bay, which is 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Yankees in the American League East.

Rays starter Shane Baz (7-3) won his fourth consecutive decision, striking out six and giving up four hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Tigers left fielder Riley Greene was 3 for 3 with two homers and four RBIs. It was his sixth multihomer game and third this season. He now has 29 RBIs over his last 29 games dating to May 20. Colt Keith also homered for Detroit, which has lost four of its last six.

Key moment

Tampa Bay chased Tigers starter Jack Flaherty (5-8) in the bottom of the third after a bases-loaded double by Walls. Flaherty has surrendered 15 combined runs over his past two starts, raising his season ERA from 3.41 to 4.83.

Key stat

The Rays scored four runs in the bottom of the first, their most in the opening frame since they had four in a 5-4 home win over the Angels on April 9.

Up next

Tigers RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-0, 3.97 ERA) gets the start against Tampa Bay RHP Ryan Pepiot (4-6, 3.11).

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AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB