Rays Journal: Another wow blast by Brandon Lowe

PORT CHARLOTTE - Losing 17-15 in a nearly 4-hour game that was one of the ugliest in spring history didn’t produce many highlights for the 6-9-1 Rays.

Brandon Lowe had the biggest, a blast of a homer on to the roof of the building beyond the right-centerfield boardwalk measured at 448 feet, with a 107 mph exit velocity. Also, it rolled to a stop an estimated 576 feet from home plate.

It was the same distance, per Trackman data. as the one hit Feb. 25 by Nate Lowe, who insisted to Brandon that his went further.

Actually Brandon Lowe said his motivation was more matching his wife, Madison, a former Maryland player who homered in Friday’s charity softball game vs. the Twins wives in Fort Myers, which raised more than $12,000 for the Community Cooperatives.

“We were tied for the spring,'' Brandon said. "I had to make sure I got the lead.’’

Also:

* The Orioles made five errors in the seventh, three by catcher Martin Cervenka.

* Two Rays were hit on the helmet by pitches: Willy Adames was fine after a glancing blow from an Omar Bencomo breaking ball, Nick Solak being monitored after a loud hit by a Bo Schultz fastball

* Keon Wong and Jake Cronenworth also homered for the Rays.

Spring things

* Sunday is the team’s deadline to sign players with 0-3 years of service, with Cy Young winner Blake Snell expected to be renewed at $573,700, just a slight raise.

* Brent Honeywell and Jose De Leon threw bullpen sessions on the stadium mound, but the big day is Tuesday when they face hitters for the first time in a live BP.

* Relief candidate Colin Poche got some reassurance for his rough spring from new Jays coach Shelley Duncan, who managed him for three minor-league seasons with Arizona, and called after seeing him struggle Thursday. Duncan noted he was aiming the ball and being too timid, reminding him, “You have to think like you’re a pitcher who throws 100, that’s your style.” And I’ve got to get back to that.’’

* Pitcher Austin Pruitt rejoined the team after Wednesday’s birth of Addison Marie, the first child for he and Danielle, with all doing well.

* Matt Fry and two others from the Nashville-based MLBMarathon podcast were at Rays camp Saturday after reaching out to Blake Snell on Twitch video game app to ask him about him about being a guest, and he invited them down.

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Numbers of the day

32, 9, 7, 3:46

Total runs, errors, homers and time played in Saturday’s debacle of a game. (Also of note, 32 points score in December, Ravens 20, Bucs 12.)

Quote of the day

“I don’t know if words can really describe what just took place the last four hours.”

- Rays manager Kevin Cash, on the game.