Lowe knocks sixth homer in six games

Brandon Lowe makes his recent promotion to Triple-A Durham look better every night.
Rays No. 14 prospect knocked his sixth homer in six games Tuesday, tying a career high with five RBIs on a 3-for-4 night as the Bulls beat the Knights, 6-4, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. It marked the second time in four games Lowe drove in five after he smacked two long balls in a 10-inning loss to Indianapolis on June 23.

The 2015 third-round Draft pick out of Maryland started quickly Tuesday after going hitless Monday. Kean Wong led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and Andrew Velazquez beat out a bunt single to third before Lowe stepped up and launched a long ball over the right-field wall.
His recent barrage of homers after a 2-for-17 Triple-A debut over his first four games with the Bulls. In the past six games, Lowe's average rose 106 points to .281 as he's settled into his spot at the new level.
"It's not trying to hit the ball out, it's just trusting that the work that I put in over the offseason and the work that you put in every day," he told MiLB.com on Saturday. "It's going to pay off when you get a hold of one. I know what my role is and what I'm trying to do, and being able to stick to that really helps with bringing the rest of the game together."
Gameday box score
After a leadoff walk in the third, he scored on Brandon Snyder's double to center. Lowe came up in the fourth with two outs and gave Durham a 5-0 lead with an RBI single to left. After the Knights responded with a four-run fifth frame, the second baseman gave Bulls starting pitcher Forrest Snow (5-4) a bit more breathing room.
With two outs in the sixth, Lowe lined an RBI double to left. After factoring into all the Durham runs, his night at the plate ended with an inning-ending strikeout in the eighth.
The 23-year-old's slugging spree accounted for all his homers with the Bulls over 15 games since his promotion from Double-A Montgomery on June 7. In 54 games with the Biscuits, Lowe posted a .291/.400/.508 slash line and knocked eight homers.

After totalling 11 homers in 114 games a year ago split between Class A Advanced Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery, and five in his first full professional season in 2016, Lowe recognizes he's not an everyday power hitter. Still, this recent streak is a prime example as to how his patient approach has rocketed him through the ranks within the Tampa Bay organization in less than three full seasons.
"The huge thing was just being on time. ... I'm not trying to do too much at the plate," he said Saturday. "Just staying aggressive but not being overaggressive and not trying to swing too hard, just barrel it up and what happens will happen."
Snow allowed four runs -- one earned -- on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings, Mike Franco retired all five Knights he faced and Adam Kolarek struck out five while giving up one hit in two frames to notch his second save.