Red-hot Rays look to sweep MLB-best Tigers

While this week featured a defining moment in Tampa Bay’s season, the Rays have known how good their club is for quite some time.

In fact, they believe they are the best in baseball.

The hot American League East squad will try to sweep its three-game series with the visiting MLB-leading Detroit Tigers in Sunday’s finale.

It has been quite a week for the Rays, who have climbed to within 1 1/2 games of the East-leading New York Yankees.

The highlight on their seven-game homestand was a stunning 12-8 comeback win Wednesday that saw the home side trailing 8-0 after the Baltimore Orioles plated all eight in an explosive second inning.

However, Tampa Bay squared it 8-8 over the next three frames and used the rest of the rally to make history.

In pulling ahead for a 12-8 win, it became the first team in major league history to allow eight runs to open the scoring then hold the opposition hitless and scoreless the rest of the way and rally to victory in over 450 all-time occurrences of that scenario.

Wednesday’s improbable win and back-to-back victories over the Tigers, who have the best record in baseball, have the Rays feeling pretty good about themselves.

“I think that we just show up against good teams. We have kind of found our identity,” said Shane Baz, the winning pitcher in Friday’s 14-8 victory in the opener against Detroit. “They’re kind of a complete team also, and I think it just speaks to what we can do.”

Added Yandy Diaz, who is 5-for-9 with a two home runs and a double in the first two games against the Tigers: “I think right now we are the best team in MLB.”

The Rays are a majors-best 22-8 since May 20.

After notching six straight winning decisions spanning his last start in April to his first start in June, Zack Littell (6-7, 3.88 ERA) will attempt to snap a two-game losing streak.

In seven career appearances (three starts) against Detroit, the right-hander is 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA. The Tigers own a .268 batting average against him.

The Rays handled Detroit 8-3 on Saturday, scoring four times in the first to take full control and win the series.

The pitching was strong for the home side with Ryan Pepiot allowing just one run on three hits in five innings.

Former LSU pitcher Paul Gervase, a 6-foot-10 reliever, made his major league debut with two scoreless, hitless frames.

The Tigers had few highlights in getting six hits from six different players. Two of the hits were doubles, with one the culmination of a 13-pitch battle between pinch hitter Jahmai Jones and Rays fireballer Mason Montgomery in the eighth inning.

“He fills his role really well,” said Tigers skipper A.J. Hinch of Jones, who is hitting .450 in 12 games. “He’s always prepared … We’ve got to keep him getting his reps, and he put together a really good at-bat. It’s key to put pressure on teams even in defeat.”

Detroit will try to salvage a game by sending out righty Casey Mize (7-2, 2.96) in the finale.

The 2018 No. 1 overall pick out of Auburn has victories in five of his past six decisions with the lone loss at Baltimore on June 11 when he allowed only two runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 10-1 loss.

Mize is 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA in three outings (two starts) versus the Rays.

–Field Level Media