DETROIT _ The Rays' hopes for a happy ending to their three-city road trip were diminished with two outs in the seventh Wednesday, when Blake Snell allowed a game-tying homer.
And then they were demolished in the 12th, when the Tigers pulled off a walk-off squeeze bunt to score JaCoby Jones, who started the rally with a leadoff triple to left center off Matt Andriese, the sixth Rays pitcher, in a 3-2 loss.
The Rays were looking to go 6-2 on the three-city swing through Baltimore, Boston and Detroit, which would have been their first .750-or-better, three-city trip since 2014. Similarly, they had a chance to win five straight series for the first time since 2014.
Instead, they'll head home 13-16 and disappointed about losing two of three to the Tigers after playing well on an eight-game winning streak that ended Sunday in Boston.
Snell gave the Rays another solid start, but a mistake with two outs in the seventh cost the Rays the lead, as James McCann knocked a 2-1 change-up over the left-field wall to tie it 2-2.
The Rays jumped out front quickly with runs in the first and second but could have had more.
Denard Span led off with a walk off Michael Fulmer, and C.J. Cron followed with a single, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. A flyout, walk and single by Wilson Ramos _ extending his streak to 11 _ plated one run. But Joey Wendle grounded into a first-to-home double play to kill the rally.
Carlos Gomez, continuing to do little things while slumping overall, opened the second with a bunt single, then Mallex Smith was hit by a pitch. The Rays played small ball with Adeiny Hechavarria bunting to move the runners to third and second. But they managed only one run as Span and Cron grounded out.
Snell, who came in on a four-game winning streak, moved quickly through the first four innings. He allowed back to back singles to open the fifth, and an ensuing bunt and groundout got the Tigers on the board.
Snell ended up working 62/3 innings, allowing the two runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
The Rays headed home after the game and will open a five-game homestand on Friday against Toronto.
