Pinch hitter Hao-Yu Lee's first MLB homer helps Tigers to an 8-3 win over the Reds

CINCINNATI (AP) — Pinch hitter Hao-Yu Lee hit his first MLB home run and Spencer Torkelson homered for the fifth straight game as the Detroit Tigers avoided a series sweep with an 8-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Torkelson tied a Tigers record by homering in five consecutive games, joining Rudy York, Hank Greenberg, Vic Wertz, Willie Horton and Marcus Thames.

The Tigers led 2-0 after Kerry Carpenter's bases-loaded double in the first before Cincinnati rallied.

Reds designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe homered in the second inning, going deep for the fourth time in nine plate appearances.

JJ Bleday, making his Reds debut after being recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Saturday, tied the score 2-all in the fourth with a 403-foot homer to center.

Ke’Bryan Hayes tripled and scored on Matt McLain’s single to put the Reds ahead 3-2 in the fifth.

After Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder escaped a jam in the second, he allowed one hit over the next three innings. Lowder gave up two runs on six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts in five innings.

The Tigers regained the lead in the seventh.

Lee's pinch-hit two-run homer off Reds left-hander Sam Moll (1-1) put the Tigers ahead 4-3. Two batters later, Torkelson made it 5-3 with his fifth home run of the season off Pierce Johnson.

Gleyber Torres made the score 8-3 with a two-run homer off Jose Franco in the eighth.

Keider Montero started for Detroit and allowed three earned runs on five hits in five innings. He walked two, struck out five and surrendered two homers.

Brant Hurter (3-0) pitched a scoreless sixth inning to earn the victory for Detroit.

Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (2-1, 2.51 ERA) will start Tuesday's series opener against the Braves in Atlanta.

Reds: RHP Chase Burns (2-1, 2.57) will start Tuesday's series opener against the visiting Rockies.

Detroit Tigers' Kerry Carpenter reacts after hitting an RBI double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Jackson)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Keider Montero throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Jackson)

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Rhett Lowder throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Cincinnati, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Jackson)

Cincinnati Reds' Nathaniel Lowe runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Cincinnati, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Jackson)

Cincinnati Reds' Nathaniel Lowe hits a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Cincinnati, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben Jackson)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Diaz homered as part of a four-run third inning and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 on Sunday to complete a three-game series sweep.

Tampa Bay has won four straight and is five games above .500. The Twins' slide continued with their fifth consecutive loss and ninth defeat in their last 10 games.

Hunter Feduccia had an infield single, and then took second when Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson rushed a throw after fielding the grounder and sent it careening into first-base foul territory and into the Rays’ bullpen. Feduccia reached third on Chandler Simpson’s single. Simpson stole his ninth base of the season to set the table. Jonathan Aranda drove in both runners with a high fly-ball single.

Diaz then followed with his fourth homer of the year to give the Rays a 4-0 lead.

Jesse Scholtens (2-1) allowed two runs, both on Brooks Lee’s seventh-inning home run, over 4 1/3 innings as the bulk pitcher. Griffin Jax pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings as the opener.

Bryan Baker got his sixth save of the season.

Woods Richardson (0-4) allowed four runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.

Tampa Bay: Left-hander Steven Matz (3-1, 4.81) will start at Cleveland against the Guardians’ Parker Messick (3-0, 1.76) on Monday night.

Minnesota: The Twins open a homestand with left-hander Connor Prielipp (0-0, 4.50) facing Seattle’s Luis Castillo (0-1, 5.01) on Monday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Griffin Jax throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Sunday, April 26, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson walks back to the mound as Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Díaz rounds the bases after his two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 26, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Díaz hits a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Sunday, April 26, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Tampa Bay Rays' Yandy Díaz celebrates as he rounds the bases after his two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins Sunday, April 26, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)