Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) singles against the Detroit Tigers. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Best-in-Baseball Tigers Take Series Finale, Beat Rays 9-3

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI | By Tom Brew | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 5:17 PM ET

TAMPA, Fla. — Some games are closer than the final score indicates, and that certainly was the case for the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. They lost 9-3 to the Detroit Tigers in their series finale, but in all unraveled in a very ugly ninth inning at Steinbrenner Field.

The Rays tied the game 1-1 in the fourth inning on a Junior Caminero home run, his 19th of the season, but then gave it back in the seventh, when reliever Garrett Cleavinger gave up a two-run homer to Tigers right fielder Wenceel Perez to make it 3-1.

DET - Wenceel Pérez 2-run HR (6)

Distance: 348 ft
EV: 95.2 mph
LA: 26°
⚾️ 96.8 mph four-seam fastball (TBR - LHP Garrett Cleavinger)
️ Would be out in 1/30 MLB parks

DET (3) @ TBR (1)
7th#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/VERXsd1GAf
— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) June 22, 2025

It was still 3-1 in the ninth inning, certainly close enough for the Rays, who've had a lot of comeback wins lately. But Forrest Whitley, who was acquired last week from Houston, couldn't get anyone out — literally. He faced six batters, and they all scored as the Tigers blew the game open.

Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson started the innings with doubles, then Perez and Dillon Dingler singled. Parker Meadows then hit a three-run homer to make it 8-1. After Javier Baez tripled, Cash finally took off Whitley. Baez scored on a sacrifice fly off Mason Montgomery.

The Rays scored two runs in the bottom of the inning, with Taylor Walls driving in two runs with the bases loaded.

Zack Littell started for the Rays, and pitched five innings, allowing just one run and four hits on just 69 pitches.

The Rays are off on Monday, then start a six-game road trip to Kansas City and Baltimore on Tuesday night,.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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