Ozzie Albies’ pinch-hit triple followed by Austin Riley’s single through a drawn-in infield led to a relative offensive explosion as the Braves earned a 3-1 series-salvaging win over the Rays on Thursday at Truist Park.
With the game scoreless and one out in the eighth, Albies came off the bench and lined a 1-2 pitch from Rays reliever Kevin Kelly into the gap in right field. It was Albies’ first triple of the season.
On the next pitch, Riley slapped an opposite-field single to right, giving the Braves (86-61) the lead and just their fourth run in the last 34⅓ innings.
“Definitely haven’t (pinch hit) a lot,” Albies said. “I told myself I’m just gonna prepare and be ready like I’m gonna start a new ballgame when I was down there in the (batting) cages. That’s what I did.
“I was looking for a pitch that I could handle and put a good swing on it. I’m happy I did that and got a triple to start the (rally) and to become the inning it did for us to win the game today.”
Later in the inning, Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim padded the lead with a two-run single up the middle. Kim’s two RBIs marked a season high.
Raisel Iglesias allowed a pinch-hit solo homer to Victor Mesa Jr. in the ninth before closing out the win for his 32nd save of the season. That made the Braves 72-2 this season when leading after eight innings.
The Braves’ win, combined with the Phillies’ loss, has reduced the team’s magic number to clinch the NL East to 11.
Braves left-handed starter Martín Pérez put his money where his mouth is Thursday. After lamenting after his outing Saturday that he had gone too many days between starts, Pérez threw on regular rest this time through the rotation and was outstanding.
He completed six scoreless innings by throwing out Chandler Simpson on a bunt attempt with two on in the sixth. A 1-2-3 seventh inning polished Pérez’s outing.
“I was in the bullpen, I don’t feel that good,” Pérez said. “Most of the time when you go to the bullpen and you don’t feel good in the bullpen, that means then you’re gonna have a good game. But I was not putting too much stress on my head. I was just throwing to attack, hitting my spots and then get good contact, and then I think I was OK.”
Pérez threw 90 pitches. The Rays (87-59) connected for just two hard-hit balls.
Pérez retired 12 straight and 15 of 16 batters until a two-out walk in the sixth. Of the four hits he allowed, three came in the first inning, but he got out of that bases-loaded jam with a 3-2-3 double play.
“In that moment I was focused. I just told myself, ‘Hit your spot and get a ground ball so we’re gonna have a chance to win this game maybe,’” Pérez said. “I think that was one of the biggest plays of the game today.”
Rays right-handed starter Nick Martinez was just as impressive as he blanked the Braves for 6⅓ innings, walked none and surrendered just two hits. Martinez threw only 68 pitches.
Didier Fuentes (6-2) recorded a 1-2-3 eighth for the Braves.
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