Josh Lowe, Brandon Lowe lead Rays past Astros 8-2

Yandy Díaz had an RBI single in the fourth as the Rays built a 6-0 lead.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Brandon Lowe hit a two-run homer and drove in three, Josh Lowe capped a four-run first with a three-run double and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Houston Astros 8-2 on Sunday.

Brandon Lowe, who finished with three hits, hit his homer to right in the sixth to increase Tampa Bay’s lead to 8-2. He also had an RBI single in the fourth.

The Rays got to Houston starter Brandon Bielak (5-6) for four runs in the first, with Yandy Díaz scoring on a fielding error by José Abreu before Josh Lowe hit his three-run double.

Díaz had an RBI single in the fourth as the Rays built a 6-0 lead.

Zack Littell (1-2), making his fourth start of the season, yielded two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in a career-high five innings.

Houston got their runs in the fifth on an RBI double by Kyle Tucker and an RBI groundout by Alex Bregman. Jose Altuve had three hits.

Bielak allowed six runs — three earned — on eight hits with four strikeouts in five innings. Bielak has allowed six runs in consecutive starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: Zach Efflin (right knee discomfort) is scheduled to make his next start Tuesday after being injured Wednesday. “We need him to pitch,” manager Kevin Cash said. “We don’t want to put him in harm’s way, but I think he’s checked a lot of boxes here. We are very encouraged with how he’s responded day-to-day, and he still has another day or two of rest.”

ROSTER MOVE

Tampa Bay selected RHP Erasmo Ramírez from Triple-A Durham and optioned RHP Calvin Faucher to Durham.

Rays: RHP Tyler Glasnow (4-3, 3.36 ERA) starts Monday in the first of a three-game series at the Yankees.