ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Desperate for some offense, the Tampa Bay Rays got it from a catcher hitting .214 and batting ninth.
Curt Casali homered twice, Nathan Karns took a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning and the Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2 Monday night.
"Anything I can do to help," said Casali, who added a single to the first multi-homer game of his career. "We're struggling. Tonight was a really good night, and we've just got to keep building on this type of night because they haven't happened as frequently as we want."
Casali's first homer came on the first pitch of the third inning by Anibal Sanchez, who lost for the first time in nine starts since June 3.