DETROIT — Keider Montero and three relievers combined on a five-hitter and the Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Monday night.
The Tigers (58-34) have won four straight games while only allowing four runs, improving to 24 games over .500 for the first time since 2013.
Montero (4-1) allowed one run and four hits and a walk in six innings while striking out four. After losing his first start, Montero is 4-0 with a 3.31 ERA in 11 outings as a starter and bulk reliever.
Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee and Will Vest each pitched a scoreless inning to complete the win.
Shane Baz (8-4) gave up three runs and seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings for the Rays, who have lost seven of their last 10 games. Baz entered the game with a 5-0 record in his last eight starts.
The Tigers took the lead in the second on Javier Báez's two-run homer into the Rays bullpen.
Jonathan Aranda made it 2-1 with a two-out RBI single in the third, but right fielder Zach McKinstry threw out Danny Jansen trying to go from first to third.
Riley Greene's RBI single put the Tigers up 3-1 in the fifth. before Colt Keith and McKinstry homered against reliever Paul Gervase in the eighth.
