Jose Siri hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to lift the visiting Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-6 win over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday and salvage a game in their three-game series.
Siri connected on his eighth home run of the season off Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias (0-1), who walked Randy Arozarena to start the inning.
Pete Fairbanks worked around a leadoff walk to pitch a scoreless ninth and earn his 10th save. Jason Adam (3-1) was the winner.
Ben Rortvedt hit a grand slam to give the Rays a 6-2 edge before Atlanta rallied. The Braves tied the game in the eighth when Austin Riley homered for the third straight day. Riley’s two-run shot, his sixth, came off Adam in the 11th pitch of the at-bat.
Tampa Bay starter Zach Eflin pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits, one walk and seven strikeouts.
Atlanta rookie Hurston Waldrep struggled again in his second major league start. He pitched 3 1/3 innings and allowed six runs on five hits, four walks and two strikeouts.
Atlanta reliever Grant Holmes made his major league debut after being in the minor leagues since 2014. Holmes worked three scoreless innings and struck out a pair.
The Rays scored a run in the first inning for the third straight day. Yandy Diaz doubled and extended his streak of reaching base to 19 consecutive games. Diaz scored on a two-out single by Arozarena, whose grounder that was headed toward the mitt of second baseman Ozzie Albies struck the base and ricocheted into left field for an RBI.
The lead didn’t last long. Jarred Kelenic hit the second pitch he saw for a solo homer, his sixth, to tie the score.
Atlanta took a 2-1 advantage in the second on a solo shot by Travis d’Arnaud, his sixth of the year and his first since April 22.
The Rays tied the score in the third on Brandon Lowe’s fourth homer and Rortvedt hit his first career grand slam in the fifth. Arozarena was hit by a pitch before Richie Palacios and Siri walked to load the bases for Rortvedt.
Atlanta scored twice in the sixth on Adam Duvall’s RBI single and Palacios’ throwing error.
–Field Level Media
