AJ Smith-Shawver took the mound for Atlanta opposite Drew Rasmussen for Tampa Bay in what turned into a tense home matchup against one of MLB’s slowest-starting teams.
Michael Harris II opened the game with a single and quickly stole second, but the Braves couldn’t capitalize. In the bottom half, Junior Caminero launched a solo home run with two outs, and Jonathan Aranda followed with a single, but the Rays settled for one early run.
Ozzie Albies and Sean Murphy reached base to start the second for Atlanta, but after a force out and a stolen base by Bryan De La Cruz, the inning ended with both runners stranded. The Rays managed a one-out single from Jose Caballero, who was later caught stealing.
The third inning saw Austin Riley notch a single before Marcell Ozuna grounded into a double play. The Rays responded with hits from Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe. Caminero walked to load the bases, and Aranda’s walk brought in a run, pushing the lead to 2-0.
Atlanta went down in order in the fourth. The Rays got another single from Caballero but lost the momentum on a double play. In the fifth, Nick Allen’s two-out single was all the Braves managed. Tampa Bay went down 1-2-3.
In the sixth, Manuel Rodríguez gave up singles to Riley and Matt Olson, putting runners on the corners. A clutch double play off Albies’ bat bailed the Rays out. In the bottom half, Aranda and Christopher Morel walked, and Kameron Misner singled to load the bases. But the Rays failed to convert, leaving them full.
Sean Murphy made Tampa Bay pay, crushing a solo homer in the seventh. After a pitching change, Atlanta loaded the bases again but Edwin Uceta got the final out to escape. In the bottom frame, Diaz doubled and Aranda’s RBI single added insurance, pushing the Rays’ lead to 3-1.
In the eighth, Matt Olson hit into a double play, but it proved vital because Albies followed with a solo shot, and then Murphy tied it with another homer. Though Bryan De La Cruz walked, the Rays escaped further damage. Caballero singled and stole second, but was caught trying for third. Taylor Walls and Danny Jansen reached base, yet the Rays couldn’t score.
Disaster struck in the ninth. Cole Sulser gave up a leadoff double to Allen before Harris blasted a two-run homer that scraped the top of the wall. Riley and Ozuna added singles, and despite a double play and a walk to Albies, the Braves exited the inning up 5-3.
Raisel Iglesias entered to close it out. Aranda added one more highlight with a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth, but the Rays fell just short, losing 5-4.
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