Brandon Lowe wins award, then comes up clutch

KANSAS CITY -- Moments after being named the American League Rookie of the Month for April, Brandon Lowe connected on a two-out, two-run home run in the ninth inning off Wily Peralta to carry the Rays to a 3-1 win over the Royals on Thursday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

“To win an award like that, you have to be doing something right, and he did it right again today,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He came up in a huge clutch situation. Kind of looked like he got out in front of it a little bit, but we’ve all talked about his power for not the biggest guy in the world. But he can generate it and he carried it over the wall.”

Lowe, who went 2-for-4 and is hitting .304 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs this season, said he didn’t think it would be a home run when he hit it. But once the ball cleared the wall, Lowe, who doesn’t usually show much emotion, couldn’t help but display a small fist pump as he rounded first base.

“It was awesome,” Lowe said. “It was a really good feeling. I was pumped up to have it go out and thankful to not have to play extras. I was excited to put a good swing on it and let everything take care of itself.”

The home run came at a good time for a Rays offense that struggled in the last two days against Kansas City pitching. Before Lowe’s home run, Tampa Bay had scored just three runs in the previous 24 innings and the club was looking to erase a bad taste in its mouth after being swept in a traditional doubleheader on Wednesday.

“We’ve been here for a long time and didn’t necessary have it go our way yesterday,” Cash said. “So that one felt good.”

But as the offense figured it out late in the finale, Rays starter Charlie Morton and the bullpen were able to hold the Royals to just one run.

Morton struck out nine and allowed just one run over 6 2/3 innings. He threw 101 pitches, 71 for strikes, and utilized his signature curveball a little bit more than usual against an aggressive lineup. The right-hander threw the curveball 42 times, generating 13 swings-and-misses on the pitch, both a season high.

“He was outstanding,” Cash said. “It looked like he really had a good feel for the breaking balls. … Those guys have swung the bat really well, and for him to quiet that offense like he did today was that much more impressive.”

With the win, the Rays split the four-game series and are 4-2 on a road trip that continues on Friday against the Orioles at Camden Yards. Tampa Bay is also the first AL team to win 20 games this season.

“It’s nice to show people were legit,” Lowe said. “That it wasn’t just a hot start, it wasn’t just a good month, and that we’re here to stay.”