Brandon Lowe hits 2-run home run as Rays beat Blue Jays 4-2 to climb above .500

TORONTO (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit a two-run home run and the Tampa Bay Rays won for the third time in four games by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Tuesday night.

Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his 17th home run and outfielder Daulton Varsho made an impressive leaping catch for the second game in a row, but Toronto lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Lowe homered for the seventh time in 18 games as the designated hitter as the Rays climbed back over .500 at 51-50.

“He’s taking a lot of good swings right now,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said of Lowe. “His outs are hard. He smoked three balls today.”

Right-hander Shawn Armstrong opened for the Rays in place of righty Ryan Pepiot, who was hospitalized in New York City on Sunday because of a knee infection.

Armstrong left after striking out four in two scoreless innings. Left-hander Tyler Alexander (3-3) followed and struck out four over three shutout innings.

“Second time he’s pitched really, really well here in this building,” Cash said of Alexander, who took a perfect game into the eighth when he last faced the Blue Jays, May 17 in Toronto.

“I like pitching here. Historically, I’ve done well,” Alexander joked.

Alexander was recalled from Triple-A Durham before the game. He hadn’t pitched for the Rays since May 30.

“Hats off to Tyler,” Brandon Lowe said. “It’s never easy to hop on a plane and join a team.”

Guerrero greeted right-hander Manuel Rodríguez with a leadoff homer in the sixth, his fourth in five games. Justin Turner followed with a home run as the Blue Jays hit back-to-back homers for the first time this season.

The Rays replied with an insurance run against Nate Pearson in the seventh. Taylor Walls walked and stole second, then advanced on an infield single before scoring on a double-play groundout.

Pete Fairbanks finished for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Toronto’s José Berríos (8-8) allowed three runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, his second straight losing start. He struck out five and matched a career worst with six walks. He also walked six at Colorado on May 11, 2017.

Manager John Schneider called it “a weird outing” for Berríos.

“He had a good fastball and then lost the zone,” Schneider said.

The right-hander, who lost at home for the second time in 10 starts this season, said his high walk total was the result of being too fine.

“I was trying to be perfect, throwing too much at the corners,” Berríos said.

Josh Lowe opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second. The Rays are 33-20 when they score first, and 18-30 when their opponent opens the scoring.

Varsho’s catch on Brandon Lowe’s deep drive to center helped keep the Rays from scoring in the third, when they left the bases loaded.

Brandon Lowe extended Tampa Bay’s lead with a first-pitch drive in the fifth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: Cash said Pepiot has returned to Florida but the pitcher’s right knee remains swollen. … Cash had no update on INF Yandy Díaz, who remains away from the team for personal reasons.

ROSTER MOVES

Tampa Bay optioned RHP Tyler Zuber to Triple-A. … The Rays claimed RHP Joel Kuhnel off waivers from Milwaukee.

RHP Yariel Rodríguez (1-3, 3.78 ERA) is scheduled to start for Toronto on Wednesday against Tampa Bay RHP Zach Eflin (5-7, 4.14).

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This story has been corrected to show that Tampa Bay has won three of their last four.

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