Brandon Lowe sparks Rays to 6-5 win over Blue Jays in spring training

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Brandon Lowe was a one-man wrecking crew for the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, driving in six runs to power his split-squad team to a 6-5 pre-season victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Lowe hit a three-run homer, a two-run double and a run-scoring single to provide all the offence for Tampa.

Justin Smoak was one of four Blue Jays players to hit home runs and Marcus Stroman pitched a pair of perfect innings in his second spring training start. Stroman didn’t allow a hit or walk and struck out three batters over his two-inning start.

Smoak homered off Rays starter Wilmer Font in the first inning and Brandon Drury, Bo Bichette and Max Pentecost also went deep with solo drives later in the game.

Canadian Curtis Taylor, a 23-year-old right-hander from Port Coquitlam, B.C., pitched a clean sixth inning to record the win for the Rays.

Yennsy Diaz shouldered the loss for Toronto.