Josh Lowe delivered a bases-clearing double in the first inning, Brandon Lowe hit a two-run home run in the sixth and Zack Littell logged a career-high five innings as the Tampa Bay Rays claimed the rubber match of their three-game series against the host Houston Astros with an 8-2 win on Sunday.
The Rays earned their first series victory over the Astros since March 2019, snapping a streak of six consecutive series losses. They did so by taking advantage of some shoddy Astros defense and riding a surprisingly lengthy outing from Littell, who made his eighth career start and fourth of the season.
Littell (1-2) limited the Astros to two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Not only did he record more than 13 outs for the first time in 162 career appearances, his 82 pitches were the most he’s thrown since Sept. 2, 2018, when he tossed 83 against the Texas Rangers.
Brandon Lowe finished with three hits, three RBIs and two runs for Tampa Bay. Yandy Diaz added two hits, two walks, an RBI and a run.
Kyle Tucker had an RBI double and Alex Bregman added an RBI for the Astros.
Astros starter Brandon Bielak (5-6) allowed two walks and a single to open the game before first baseman Jose Abreu botched a grounder with the bases loaded and one out. Josh Lowe made the Astros pay by ripping a 1-0 fastball from Bielak into the right field corner. He plated Wander Franco, Brandon Lowe and Luke Raley, who reached on the Abreu error, and built the Rays’ lead to 4-0.
Bielak steadied himself over the second and third innings, but Diaz and Brandon Lowe produced RBI singles in the fourth. The frame started with Bielak missing first base while attempting to step on the bag after receiving the throw from Abreu on a Josh Lowe grounder to the right side.
Bielak surrendered six runs (three earned) on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts over five innings, making a second consecutive start where he was tagged for three unearned runs.
Brandon Lowe answered a two-run rally from the Astros in the fifth inning with his 13th home run with two outs in the sixth, a 379-foot shot to right off Astros reliever Phil Maton that scored Franco and extended the lead back to six runs.
–Field Level Media
