WASHINGTON — When Josh Lowe stepped to the plate on Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park, it’s likely few were expecting him to snag an extra-base hit — certainly not in the first inning.
But Lowe, who had just two homers in his previous 46 games, defied expectations. Lowe smashed a three-run home run in the first inning, then a solo long ball in the fourth to power the Rays’ 4-1 victory over the Nationals to secure the series win.
The two-jack affair marked Lowe’s first multihomer game this season, and just the third in his career (he went yard twice in two games last season).
Better yet, Lowe’s performance backed a strong outing from Ryan Pepiot, who was pegged for just one hit over five scoreless innings for a second straight start. Pepiot didn’t give up a hit until the bottom of the fourth inning, and likely could have continued if his pitch count hadn’t ballooned (93 pitches, 53 strikes).
Though Lowe’s home-run production has tailed off the past two years, after a 20-homer 2023 campaign, Lowe has done his job well. He’s been more or less consistent, provided solid defense and, of course, been a crucial part of the clubhouse.
Even so, Lowe is one homer away from his third straight double-digit season (10 last year), and will become the seventh Ray to reach the 10-homer mark this season with his next long ball.
