KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Brandon Lowe was honored earlier Thursday for his performance through the end of April as the American League Rookie of the Month.
Then he got a good start on his May showing, hitting a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth to lead the Rays to a 3-1 win over the Royals and a series split.
Daniel Robertson started the inning with a four-pitch walk off reliever Wily Peralta. After Avisail Garcia lined out and Mike Zunino flew out, Lowe delivered with a homer to right, his seventh of the season. His blast came moments after the press release announcing his award, which he already knew about, was emailed.
The win was an important one for the Rays after being swept in a doubleheader Wednesday, as they improved to 20-11. They open a weekend series in Baltimore on Friday night with Tyler Glasnow, who was named AL Pitcher of the Month, on the mound.
The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the third off Rays starter Charlie Morton. Catcher Martin Maldonado reached on what was essentially a swinging bunt, sliding headfirst into first base. With one out, Whit Merrifield laced the first of his two triples, and Maldonado chugged home.
The Rays, who scored only four runs in Wednesday's doubleheader (and went 15 innings without in between), got even in the fifth. Willy Adames, who snapped an 0-for-14 skid with two hits Wednesday, got them started with a one-out single.
Call-up Nate Lowe followed with a single to right. Then Guillermo Heredia, starting ahead of Kevin Kiermaier, blooped a single to center. The Rays got a break when Royals center fielder Billy Hamilton slipped, and third-base coach Rodney Linares made a good call to send Adames.
Morton ended up working into the seventh in another strong outing, giving up the one run in allowing five hits and one walk while striking out nine. Lefty Danny Duffy gave the Royals six solid innings.
The Rays came into the game coming off Wednesday's doubleheader sweep by the Royals.
"We just want to play better," manager Kevin Cash said before the game. "We got beat yesterday. Give credit to the Royals, they came out and did some good things."
The Rays on Wednesday gave up three runs in the first inning of both games after posting a 29-4 positive run differential through the first 28 games. "It's been nice that we got out to some early leads," Cash said. "We got away from that yesterday let's see if we can get back to that today."
