TAMPA, Fla. - Brandon Lowe swung and Hunter Brown craned his neck to follow the arc of the baseball. The bill of Brown's cap pointed almost straight up as he tracked it toward right field. Cam Smith planted his feet,

The Rays knew what they were up against Wednesday afternoon. Astros right-hander Hunter Brown has been one of the Majors’ most dominant starters this season, with six wins, an ERA lower than everyone but Max Fried and an arsenal full of nasty stuff.

Bennett Sousa was the first man out of the pen for head coach Joe Espada once Brown came out from his shortest outing of the year, and kept up the theme for this year, shutting down the Rays for two innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three.