TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — A four-run third inning powered by Yandy Díaz’s homer lifted the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon at George Steinbrenner Field.

The win gave the Rays a three-game sweep of the series, improving their record to 16-11, while the Twins fell to 12-16.

Tampa Bay starter Jesse Scholtens earned the win, throwing four and one-third innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs while striking out one. He improved to 2-1 on the season. Simeon Woods Richardson took the loss for Minnesota, dropping to 0-4 after allowing four runs on five hits over three innings. Bryan Baker recorded his sixth save with a perfect ninth inning, striking out one.

Attendance was 17,618 and the game lasted two hours, 33 minutes.

The decisive inning came in the bottom of the third, with the game scoreless. Hunter Feduccia led off with a soft ground ball single to pitcher Woods Richardson, who then threw the ball away on an attempt to retire Feduccia at first, allowing the runner to advance to second. Chandler Simpson followed with a single to left, putting runners at the corners. After Junior Caminero flied out to right, Jonathan Aranda lined a single to center, scoring Feduccia and Simpson to give the Rays a 2-0 lead.

Yandy Díaz then crushed a 4-0 pitch over the right-field fence for his fourth home run of the season, plating Aranda and extending the advantage to 4-0. The Rays added no further runs, but the damage was done.

Minnesota did not threaten until the seventh inning. With one out, James Outman doubled to right field on a sharp line drive. Brooks Lee then launched a fly ball to right field that was initially reviewed by the umpires for a possible home run; the call was upheld, and Lee’s fifth homer of the season scored Outman and cut the deficit to 4-2. The Twins could not get any closer, managing only three more base runners over the final two innings.

The Rays’ bullpen held firm after Scholtens departed. Griffin Jax tossed two and one-third innings of one-hit relief, striking out two. Cole Sulser worked one and one-third innings, allowing one hit and striking out two before Baker closed the door with a perfect ninth.

For Minnesota, the offense totaled five hits on the afternoon. Lee was 1-for-3 with the homer and two RBIs. Outman had a double and scored a run. Ryan Jeffers walked and singled, and Luke Keaschall also singled. The Twins left four men on base and struck out five times.

Tampa Bay’s nine hits were scattered across eight batters. Chandler Simpson went 3-for-4 with two singles and a line-drive single. Díaz’s homer was his only hit in three at-bats. Aranda had two hits and two RBIs. Taylor Walls doubled and walked.

The game featured only one error, which proved costly for Minnesota. The Twins’ pitching staff combined for 15 strikes, 47 balls and 15 balls in play, while Tampa Bay’s pitchers threw 9 strikes, 45 balls and 9 balls in play.

The win continued the Rays’ dominance over the Twins in 2026. In their five meetings this season, Tampa Bay has won four, including three at home. The Twins have lost four of their last five games overall and six of their last nine. Their upcoming schedule includes a three-game home series against the Seattle Mariners starting Monday.

The Rays, meanwhile, have won six of their last seven and will travel to Cleveland for a three-game set beginning Monday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tampa Bay 6, Minnesota 3. The Rays were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Tampa Bay a 58.50 percent probability to win. The total score of six runs went over the over-under line of eight and a half.