Brandon Lowe, Junior Caminero hit 4th-inning home runs to lead Rays over Twins 5-0

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero hit fourth-inning home runs, and Drew Rasmussen allowed one hit in six innings to lead the Tampa Bay Rays over the Minnesota Twins 5-0 on Wednesday.

Lowe led off the fourth with his 11th home run. Caminero hit his 10th with Jonathan Aranda aboard.

Aranda added an RBI single and the Rays’ also scored on a balk. Lowe, Aranda and Caminero had two hits each. Chandler Simpson stole two bases for 16 this season.

Rasmussen (4-4) gave up a single to his former Oregon State teammate Trevor Larnach on the second pitch of the game. He also had a walk and a hit-by-pitch. He struck out five. Rasmussen won his third straight six-inning scoreless start. Edwin Uceta, Mason Montgomery and Connor Seabold completed the Rays’ fifth shutout this season.

The Rays finished their homestand 7-2.

Pablo López (4-3) gave up four runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three. The loss was López’s first in five May starts. He had given up three homers all season before Wednesday.

The Twins finished with six singles, including 27-year-old rookie Carson McCusker’s first MLB hit.

Key moment

Uceta gave up consecutive singles to open the seventh inning but then retired the next three batters with Josh Lowe making a leaping catch of Royce Lewis’ fly ball at the right-field wall for the third out.

Key stat

Brandon Lowe extended his hitting streak to 11 games, one shy of his career high. He is 16 of 39 for a .410 average with four homers and six RBIs during the streak.

Up next

The Rays are at Houston on Thursday with Shane Baz (4-3, 4.94) pitching. The Astros hadn’t announced a starter. The Twins are at Seattle on Friday with Zebby Matthews (0-1, 7.71) facing the Mariners’ Bryan Woo (5-2, 2.40).

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