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Early runs launch Detroit Tigers past Rays for second win in a row

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – The Detroit Tigers won a series for the first time in almost a month.

It was a complete victory.

The Tigers won, 8-0, against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, June 2, in the second of three games in the series at Tropicana Field, securing back-to-back wins for the first time since May 2-3.

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Detroit Tigers centerfielder Matt Vierling (8) reacts after hitting a triple in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Right-hander Jack Flaherty delivered five scoreless innings in his best performance of the season, second baseman Gleyber Torres launched a leadoff home run in his return from the injured list and an abundance of hard contact from the Tigers' offense chased left-hander Steven Matz in the second inning.

The offense has scored 18 runs in this two-game stretch in June – after scoring just 81 runs through 28 games in May – 2.89 runs per game.

The Tigers improved to 24-38, while the American League-leading Rays dropped to 36-22.

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On the mound

If the Tigers are going to climb out of the hole created by a terrible month of May, everyone needs to contribute with positive performances – including Flaherty, who entered Tuesday's game with a 5.81 ERA in 12 games.

Flaherty took a step in the right direction.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (9) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

The 30-year-old looked like his old self against the Rays, throwing five-plus scoreless on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in a 94-pitch effort. He exited after a leadoff walk in the sixth inning, giving way to left-handed reliever Enmanuel De Jesus.

Flaherty lowered his ERA to 5.31 in his 13th start.

And he secured his first win since Sept. 10, 2025, improving to 1-7 this season.

The Tigers had lost the past eight Flaherty starts, but his dominance – combined with the newfound success of the Tigers' offense – snapped that streak.

The biggest moment occurred in the fourth inning, when Flaherty stranded two runners in scoring position by striking out Hunter Feduccia looking with a 94.6 mph fastball painted on the down-and-in edge of the strike zone.

Flaherty backpedaled off the mound with swagger.

Back in 2024, Flaherty registered a 2.95 ERA across 106⅔ innings in 18 starts before the trade deadline, when the Tigers shipped him to the Los Angeles Dodgers for two prospects. He hasn't been the same since then, even though he returned to the Tigers before the 2025 season.

This time, Flaherty looked like the 2024 version.

A continuation of Tuesday's performance would make a huge impact moving forward.

After Flaherty, De Jesus completed the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings without allowing a run. The Tigers used six relievers in Monday's 10-9 win, so the four innings from De Jesus saved the bullpen.

De Jesus threw 27 of 35 pitches for strikes.

He recorded 12 outs for the first save of his MLB career, spanning 18 games.

At the plate

The Tigers stayed hot at the plate.

The offense was dormant in May, but everything has changed through two games in June.

In Tuesday's game, the Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead with two runs in the first inning and three runs in the second inning – chasing Matz with two outs in the second at 53 pitches.

Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres (25) hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Facing Matz, the Tigers torched him by averaging a 99.8 mph exit velocity on nine balls in play.

It started with Torres.

Returning from the injured list, Torres welcomed himself back to the big leagues by destroying Matz's down-and-in sinker for a leadoff home run for a 1-0 lead. He hit the ball 433 feet to left-center field with a 106.3 mph exit velocity

He watched the ball fly.

Torres hadn't played for the Tigers since May 2 while recovering from a left oblique strain.

Moments later, the Tigers increased their lead to 2-0 in the first inning with Matt Vierling's triple, followed by Dillon Dingler's sacrifice fly. (The Tigers have scored first in the first inning in each of the past three games.)

Three more runs were tacked on across the sixth and seventh innings for an 8-0 lead, with all three runs charged to left-handed reliever Ian Seymour.

In the sixth, the Tigers loaded the bases with Spencer Torkelson's walk, Wenceel Pérez's single and Zach McKinstry's walk, then cashed in with sacrifice flies from Zack Short and Matt Vierling for a 7-0 lead. In the seventh, Greene pulled an up-and-in fastball for a solo home run, making it an 8-0 lead.

Greene hit the ball 328 feet with an 89 mph exit velocity.

It stayed just inside the right-field foul pole and barely cleared the wall.

Next up: Series finale

The Tigers and Rays wrap up the three-game series Wednesday (1:10 p.m., Detroit SportsNet), with the Tigers having a chance to build upon their series win with a series sweep.

The pitching matchup: Right-hander Troy Melton for the Tigers and right-hander Nick Martinez for the Rays. It will be Melton's third start since returning from the injured list. He logged a 1.42 ERA over 12⅔ innings in his first two starts.

The Tigers haven't swept a series since April 14-16 against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park.

That could change in Wednesday's game.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Gleyber Torres homers in return in win vs Rays

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