Rays 5, Braves 2
The Tampa Bay Rays only scored in one inning, but that was all they needed to beat the Atlanta Braves for the second straight night. The five runs came on three walks, three singles, and a wild pitch. Not at all the same approach as the night before. The big inning put the Rays up 5-1 and the bullpen did the rest.
Chirinos Fine Start
The fifth starter for the Rays this year is Yonny Chirinos. Chirinos, like Tyler Glasnow the night before, was going to pitch inning by inning. He missed the majority of summer camp due to a positive COVID test. He got aid from his defense with two double plays in the first two innings. The trouble really started to pile up in his third inning. He loaded the bases without recording an out but was able to avoid the crooked number by only surrendering one run.
From Wright to Wrong
The Braves had Kyle Wright on the mound as their fifth starter. The first two innings were just another day in the office as he retired six of his first seven batters. It all went wrong in the third when the strike zone started to move on him. Three batters would walk to load the bases around a flyout and a strikeout. In the blink of an eye, the Rays put together three straight singles, and Wright’s night was done. A finishing line of two and two-thirds innings, five earned runs, on four hits and three walks, just shows how quickly one can lose it in a major league game.
New Names Come Up Big Again
Hunter Renfroe was the big star on Monday, but Tuesday it belonged to two others. Jose Martinez and Yoshi Tsutsugo had two hits apiece while driving in three of the five runs. Yoshi’s two-run single in the third came with the bases loaded. Following him up was Martinez’s bloop single to left which probably should have been caught for the third out. Jose Martinez seems to be finding his stroke and enjoying the simple life as the designated hitter.
The Closer In the Seventh
For the second time in the opening week, Kevin Cash has called on Nick Anderson to get some key outs. Many figured Anderson to get the majority of the save opportunities but who says the game must be saved in the ninth? The game needed to be saved with two outs in the seventh. He surrendered a single to Ozzie Albies but struck out Freddie Freeman who represented the tying run.
Up Next
The Rays and Braves will head to Atlanta for another two-game series at Truist Park. This will be the final meeting between these two clubs this year. It will be only the second trip to the new Truist park for the Rays as they played two games back in 2018.
Charlie Morton (0-1 13.50 ERA) will make his second start of the season for the Rays. He looks to improve on his subpar opening night, four-inning six earned run outing.
Making his second start to the season for the Braves will be their opening day starter in Mike Soroka (0-0 0.00 ERA). Soroka’s first start was a duel with one of the games best in Jacob Degrom. It doesn’t get any easier for him as he not only has the hot Rays bats to go against but facing another ace in Charlie Morton.
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