On Thursday afternoon Brandon Lowe was named the America League’s rookie of the month. He capped off his award winning afternoon blasting a 2-out homer in the ninth inning to lead the Tampa Bay Rays past the Kansas City Royals 3-1.
The Rays, looking to erase a dismal performance of being swept by the Royals on Wednesday, entered the ninth inning locked in a 1-1 tie.
Wily Peralta walked Daniel Robertson on four pitches to open the inning but retired Avisail Garcia on a scorching line drive to second and Mike Zunino on a soft fly out in foul territory in right field.
His 2-2 changeup to Brandon Lowe wasn’t a bad pitch, but Lowe kept his hands back and muscled it out for the eventual game winner.
Charlie Morton started for Tampa Bay and worked 6.2-innings allowing one run on five hits while striking out nine and walking one. Emilio Pagan retired the final batter in the seventh.
Adam Kolarek (2-0, 1.64 ERA) picked up the win working a scoreless eighth and Diego Castillo worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save on the year.
With the win the Rays become the first team in the American League to 20 wins improving to 20-11. They also finish their season series against the Royals with a winning mark of 4-3.
Danny Duffy making his second start of the season held the Rays to one run over six innings. Wily Peralta (2-2, 7.07 ERA) takes the loss for Kansas City who drop to 11-21 on the season.
Up Next:
The Rays finish their three city road trip in Baltimore taking on the Orioles Friday night at 7:05.
The Rays will send April’s pitcher of the month Tyler Glasnow (5-0, 1.75 ERA) to the mound and the Orioles counter with Dan Straily (1-1, 6.75 ERA).
