July 30 - Yandy Diaz homered on the first pitch Tampa Bay saw in a three-run first inning, and the Rays squared their three-game series with the Texas Rangers by winning 3-0 ​on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Ryan Vilade slugged a mammoth two-run homer ‌three batters after Diaz went deep. The blasts gave Tampa Bay all the offense it would need to prevail for the seventh time in nine games.

Rays left-hander Ian Seymour (7-3) entered after opener Casey Legumina ​retired five batters and allowed just one hit. Seymour tossed 4 2/3 innings and ​yielded only two hits and a walk. He struck out four.

Five pitchers ⁠combined to record Tampa Bay's ninth shutout of the year.

Texas starter MacKenzie Gore (6-9) permitted ​three runs on three hits in seven innings. He struck out nine, hit a batter ​and issued no walks. The left-hander regrouped to retire 20 of the last 21 batters he faced.

The two first-place clubs combined for seven hits, all for extra bases.

After a sluggish offensive showing by the Rays ​in a 4-1 loss on Tuesday, Diaz belted the opening pitch in the first ​inning to right, slicing his 15th home run 372 feet.

Jonathan Aranda lined a double to center before ‌Junior Caminero ⁠struck out. Vilade then smashed a 420-foot clout off the C-ring walkway high above left-center field for his ninth shot and a 3-0 lead.

As expected, Seymour replaced Legumina early to take the bulk innings. Seymour promptly set down 14 of the first 15 batters he ​faced, striking out four ​and allowing only ⁠a one-out double to Elias Diaz in the third.

Following his rocky first inning, Gore rebounded and kept the Rays at bay. He fired ​six hitless innings and yielded just one baserunner, when he plunked ​Ben Williamson ⁠with a pitch in the fifth.

The Rangers finally built a threat with one out in the seventh when Jake Burger doubled and Nicky Lopez walked, chasing Seymour. Garrett Cleavinger entered and ⁠escaped the ​jam by fanning Cam Cauley and retiring Alejandro Osuna ​on a weak grounder in front of home plate.

Sidewinding Rays reliever Kevin Kelly struck out the side in the ​eighth before closer Bryan Baker posted his 29th save with a scoreless ninth.

--Field Level Media