TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — Troy Melton pitched eight strong innings and Dillon Dingler homered to lead the Detroit Tigers past the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 on Wednesday afternoon at George Steinbrenner Field. Melton (2-0) allowed two runs on four hits with five strikeouts, outdueling Nick Martinez (5-2), who gave up six earned runs on nine hits in four innings. Detroit scored single runs in each of the first three innings, then broke the game open with a three-run fourth on Dingler’s 14th home run. The Tigers added a run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Kerry Carpenter. Cedric Mullins homered for Tampa Bay. Detroit outhit the Rays 13-4. Attendance was 12,585, and the game lasted 2 hours, 14 minutes. The Tigers improved to 25-38, while the Rays fell to 36-23. Detroit has won three straight, completing a three-game sweep of the series.

TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — Right-hander Troy Melton threw eight innings of four-hit ball and Dillon Dingler drove in four runs with a home run and a single as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 on Wednesday afternoon at George Steinbrenner Field. The Tigers completed a three-game sweep of the Rays with their third consecutive win in the series. Detroit improved to 25-38, while Tampa Bay fell to 36-23. Melton, who improved to 2-0 this season, struck out five and allowed two earned runs. He scattered four hits and walked two batters, retiring the side in order in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The only runs he surrendered came on a first-inning RBI single by Yandy Díaz and a solo home run by Cedric Mullins in the second inning. Melton faced the minimum through the third, fourth and fifth innings after erasing a leadoff walk to Jonathan Aranda with a double play in the third. He needed only 78 pitches to complete eight frames. Nick Martinez took the loss for Tampa Bay, falling to 5-2. The right-hander lasted four innings, allowing nine hits and six earned runs with one strikeout. Martinez exited after Dingler’s three-run homer in the fourth inning, which gave Detroit a 6-2 lead. Detroit opened the scoring in the first inning. Gleyber Torres led off the game with a double to left field. After Kevin McGonigle flied out, Dillon Dingler lined a single to left to score Torres. Kerry Carpenter struck out, and Riley Greene singled to put runners at first and third, but Spencer Torkelson flied out to center to end the inning. Tampa Bay answered in the bottom of the first. Chandler Simpson lined out, but Junior Caminero singled, Aranda walked, and Díaz singled to right to score Caminero. Richie Palacios grounded out, advancing the runners, and Ben Williamson grounded out to first to end the inning with the score 1-1. The Tigers regained the lead in the second. Jake Rogers led off with a home run to left field, his first of the season. Torres flied out to end the inning, with Detroit ahead 2-1. Mullins tied the game again in the bottom of the second, launching his fourth home run of the season to right-center field. Nick Fortes followed with a single, but Victor Mesa Jr. struck out, Simpson flied out, and Caminero struck out to strand the runner. Detroit pushed ahead for good in the third. McGonigle singled to right, Dingler lined out, and Carpenter singled to center that deflected off left fielder Chandler Simpson, putting runners at first and second. Greene walked to load the bases, and Torkelson lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring McGonigle. Colt Keith lined out to end the inning, with the Tigers up 3-2. The pivotal inning came in the fourth. Matt Vierling led off with a single to right. Rogers sacrificed him to second. Torres singled to left, putting runners at first and third. McGonigle popped out to third, but Dingler crushed a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall for his 14th home run of the season, extending the lead to 6-2. Carpenter lined out to first. The Rays mounted no further threat. Mason Englert replaced Martinez in the fifth and pitched five innings of relief, allowing one hit and one earned run with three strikeouts. Englert kept the game within reach, but the Rays’ offense could not solve Melton. Detroit added an insurance run in the ninth. Torres singled to second, McGonigle doubled to right, sending Torres to third. Dingler lined out to third, and Carpenter hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Torres. Greene struck out to end the inning. In the bottom of the ninth, Melton was replaced by a reliever, but the Rays went down in order. Aranda grounded out, Díaz struck out swinging, and Palacios flied out to center to secure the victory. Key performances for Tampa Bay included Mullins, who had a home run and a single. The Rays managed only four hits as a team. Caminero had one hit in four at-bats, while Fortes singled in two at-bats. Chandler Simpson, Richie Palacios, Mesa and Aranda combined for no hits in 13 at-bats. For Detroit, Dingler finished with three hits and four RBIs. Torres had three hits, including a double, and scored three runs. McGonigle added a double and a single, and Rogers homered. The Tigers collected 13 hits in the game, their highest total in the series. The game lasted 2 hours, 14 minutes and was played before an announced attendance of 12,585. Detroit now returns home to face the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series starting Friday. Tampa Bay travels to Miami for a three-game set against the Marlins beginning Friday. The Interstat game simulator had projected a final score of Tampa Bay 4, Detroit 2, and the Interstat ELO system gave Tampa Bay a 59.2 percent probability to win. Tampa Bay had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The combined total of nine runs went under the over/under line of 7.5.

TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — The Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays meet Wednesday afternoon at George Steinbrenner Field, with the Tigers seeking a three-game sweep after winning the first two games of the series by scores of 10-9 and 5-0. First pitch is set for 1:07 p.m. under partly cloudy skies, with temperatures near 89 degrees. Detroit (23-38) is expected to start right-hander Troy Melton (1-0) or righty Nick Martinez (5-1). Tampa Bay (36-21) had not announced a starter as of Wednesday morning. Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler has been a key contributor in the series. In Monday’s 10-9 win, he went 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs. Over his last 10 games, Dingler is batting .292 with three homers and 10 RBIs, though he has had several hitless performances intermingled. Tampa Bay outfielder Ryan Vilade also homered in Monday’s loss, going 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Vilade has reached base safely in five of his last seven games and is hitting .300 during that span, though he has struggled with consistency, including an 0-for-4 afternoon Thursday. The Tigers have won two straight after a four-game skid. Detroit’s offense has been productive, scoring 10 runs in Monday’s win and five in Tuesday’s shutout. Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson have keyed recent production. The Rays have lost four of their last six, but remain atop the American League East. Tampa Bay’s pitching staff has struggled against Detroit, allowing 15 runs in two games. Junior Caminero has provided offensive spark, going 1-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs on Monday. The Interstat game simulator projects a 4-2 Rays win. Tampa Bay is a -1.5 run favorite according to oddsmakers, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. After Wednesday, Detroit hosts Seattle for three games beginning Friday. Tampa Bay travels to Miami for a three-game weekend series against the Marlins.