ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays were happy to be home after a long, disappointing and frustrating road trip, and they showed it.
They kicked off a season-long 10-game homestand with a crisp 5-2 win over the Tigers, who took two of three from them last week in Detroit.
Yandy Diaz and Mike Zunino hit homers, Kevin Kiermaier hustled his way to a run and Dietrich Enns earned his second big-league win with a solid four-inning outing, as five other relievers pitched in.
There was one negative, as veteran designated hitter Nelson Cruz left the game a few innings after being hit on the right forearm by a pitch. The team said he had only a bruise and X-rays were negative.
The win improved the Rays’ American League-best record to 91-56 and improved their East division lead to 8-1/2 games. They also reduced their “magic numbers” to seven for clinching a third straight playoff berth and eight to win the division.
The Rays got off to a quick start.
Diaz, moved to the leadoff spot for the first time since July 17, made the move look brilliant, crushing the first pitch from Tigers lefty Tyler Alexander for a home run.
The Rays got a second run when No. 2 hitter Manuel Margot walked, went to second when Cruz was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly to shallow left-center by Randy Arozarena.
The Tigers cut the lead to 2-1 when Niko Goodrum homered off Dietrich Enns in the fifth, but thanks to Kiermaier’s hustle the Rays got the run right back.
Kiermaier was on second after a leadoff single and Diaz groundout. He raced to third on Margot’s hard grounder to short, then broke for home as Goodrum bounced the throw to first, and scored easily.
The Rays expanded the lead to 5-1 in the sixth when Zunino greeted reliever Drew Carlton with his 31st homer of the season, a two-run shot with two outs. It was Zunino’s second homer in two days and 10th in his last 23 games. Also of note, 10 of his last 12 hits have been for extra bases.
