Rays hammer four homers to take series from Astros

Yandy Diaz went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including one of four home runs for the Tampa Bay Rays in their 8-4 win against the visiting Houston Astros on Wednesday.

Starting pitcher Taj Bradley (4-3) gave up two runs on four hits and struck out seven in six innings for the Rays, who took the last two games to win the three-game series.

Astros starter Hunter Brown (6-3) allowed five runs on seven hits across five innings. Isaac Paredes homered twice and drove in three runs for Houston.

After Houston cut Tampa Bay's lead to 5-4 in the top of the eighth inning, Diaz added insurance in the bottom half, mashing a three-run shot 435 feet to center off reliever Forrest Whitley to make it 8-4.

The Rays broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fourth when Curtis Mead knocked the first pitch over the center-field wall to give the hosts a 3-2 lead.

They extended it in the fifth with back-to-back home runs. Josh Lowe led off with a solo shot to center to make it 4-2 and Brandon Lowe followed with one to right-center to push it to 5-2.

Houston struggled to get on base from the second through the seventh, managing just three hits and walking once.

The Astros broke through in the top of the eighth off reliever Edwin Uceta to make it a one-run game. Mauricio Dubon connected on a drive that bounced off the top of the wall in center and into the seats to cut it to 5-3.

Paredes' second home run of the game went to left-center field to narrow it to 5-4.

The Astros took a 2-0 lead in the first when, with Jeremy Pena on, Paredes mashed a fastball over the left-field wall.

Tampa tied it in the bottom half. Diaz singled and went to second on Josh Lowe's fly out. Jonathan Aranda singled through the gap into left to bring in Diaz and cut it to 2-1, and advanced to second on Dubon's fielding error.

Chandler Simpson brought Aranda in with a single to left. Dubon's throw to the plate missed the mark and Aranda crossed easily to tie it 2-2.