TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — Rhett Lowder delivered six strong innings and Sal Stewart provided early power with a two-run homer as the Cincinnati Reds opened a three-game series with a 6-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night at George Steinbrenner Field.

A crowd of 15,962 watched the Reds improve to 15-8, winning for the eighth time in their last 10 games. The Rays fell to 12-10.

The most important sequence of the game came immediately, setting a tone the Rays could not overcome. After Cincinnati’s TJ Friedl flew out to start the game, Matt McLain doubled. One out later, Stewart stepped in against Rays starter Jesse Scholtens. The Reds’ first baseman connected on a 2-1 offering, driving it over the center field wall for his eighth home run of the season, staking Lowder to a 2-0 lead before he took the mound.

Tampa Bay responded in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with no outs on singles by Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero and a walk to Jonathan Aranda. Yandy Díaz worked another walk to force in a run, cutting the deficit to 2-1. With the bases still loaded and the potential for a big inning brewing, Lowder bore down. He struck out Jake Fraley looking on a challenged pitch call that was upheld, then fanned Cedric Mullins. Nick Fortes finally ended the threat by grounding into a force play at second base. Lowder escaped the jam having surrendered just one run, a pivotal moment that preserved the lead and shifted momentum firmly back to Cincinnati.

From there, Lowder found his rhythm. The right-hander allowed just three more hits over his next five innings, facing minimal trouble. He finished his night having allowed one earned run on five hits with three strikeouts over six innings, earning his third win against one loss.

The Reds added a run in the third when Elly De La Cruz singled home Friedl, who had doubled. They then broke the game open in the sixth against Scholtens. With one out, Eugenio Suárez singled and Spencer Steer was hit by a pitch. After a groundout advanced both runners, Rece Hinds laced a two-run double down the left field line, extending the lead to 5-1 and chasing Scholtens from the game.

Cincinnati tacked on a final run in the seventh on a double by Stewart, who finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and an error.

Scholtens took the loss for Tampa Bay, falling to 1-1. He was charged with five earned runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out six. The Rays’ bullpen of Trevor Martin and Cole Sulser provided 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, but the offense could not mount a comeback.

The Cincinnati bullpen sealed the win with three perfect innings. Brock Burke struck out two in the seventh, Pierce Johnson worked a clean eighth and Connor Phillips allowed a hit but no runs in the ninth. Rays hitters managed just one hit after the fifth inning and went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

De La Cruz and Hinds each drove in runs for the Reds, who finished with nine hits. Simpson had two of Tampa Bay’s six hits.

The victory defied pregame projections. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 7-4 Rays win, and its ELO system gave Tampa Bay a 52% probability of victory. The Rays had been installed as a 1.5-run favorite, and the total of seven runs stayed under an over/under line of 8.

The Reds continue their road trip with the second game of the series Tuesday night. The Rays will look to even the series before welcoming the Minnesota Twins later in the week.