Rays Defeat Twins 9-4 to Lead Series

The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Minnesota Twins 9-4, capitalizing on an explosive fourth inning where they scored eight runs, led by Yandy Diaz's homer and Taylor Walls' three RBIs. This victory gives the Rays a 2-1 lead in the four-game series and improves their record to 69-70, while the Twins fall to 75-64, maintaining second place in the AL Wild Card race. Earlier in the series, the Twins secured a 4-3 win against the Rays with solid performances from Pablo Lopez and Jhoan Duran, marking Lopez's 14th win of the season. Despite a strong outing from Lopez, the Twins have struggled with multi-run innings against them recently. The Rays, while aiming for a Wild Card spot, remain six games back and are known for their resilience in close games, holding the best record in MLB for games decided by two runs or fewer. Both teams look to secure crucial wins as the season approaches its end, with the Twins facing the Royals next.