Lowe and Mead homer, Rays beat Blue Jays 3-1 for 3rd straight win

Yahoo

24-05-2025

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen delivers to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Toronto Blue Jays' Eric Lauer pitches to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jonatan Clase makes the catch on a fly out by Tampa Bay Rays' Curtis Mead during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays' Josh Lowe watches his double off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Eric Lauer during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays' Josh Lowe watches his double off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Eric Lauer during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen delivers to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Toronto Blue Jays' Eric Lauer pitches to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jonatan Clase makes the catch on a fly out by Tampa Bay Rays' Curtis Mead during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays' Josh Lowe watches his double off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Eric Lauer during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, May 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Lowe and Curtis Mead homered, Drew Rasmussen pitched six scoreless innings in a four-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Friday night for only their third three-game winning streak this season.
Lowe put the Rays ahead in the third against Eric Lauer (1-1) with his team-leading ninth home run, a two-run drive. Mead homered in the fourth.
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Rasmussen (3-4) allowed four hits and two walks. Mason Montgomery, Manuel Rodríguez, Edwin Uceta and Pete Fairbanks combined for hitless relief, with Fairbanks working around a walk for his ninth save in 10 chances.
Rays pitchers walked a season-high eight. The Rays won three straight games from March 30 to April 1 and five in a row from April 23-27.
Lauer had allowed one home run in 12 innings previously this season. He gave up three runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Toronto entered following a three-game sweep of San Diego by a combined score of 24-6.
The game drew 10,046, the Rays' 30th sellout in 32 games at Steinbrenner Field, their temporary home for this season.
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Key Moment
After Montgomery walked the bases loaded in the seventh, Rodríguez got Jonatan Clase to ground into a run-scoring double play, then retired Nathan Lukes on a flyout.
Key Stat
Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho, the top three hitters in Toronto's batting order, went 0 for 11 with a walk.
Up Next
Rays RHP Shane Baz (3-3, 5.33 ERA) and Blue Jays RHP José Berrios (1-1, 4.19 ERA) start Saturday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb