Freddy Peralta pitched six strong innings and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays hit four home runs en route to a 7-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series featuring division leaders.
Tampa Bay (86-58) won for the third time in four games to maintain a four-game edge over the New York Yankees (82-62) in the American League East. Atlanta (85-60) took its third loss in four games but remains four games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies (81-64).
Peralta (8-11) allowed one run on five hits and one walk while striking out two. He has won three consecutive starts, and he improved his career record against Atlanta to 7-2.
Tampa Bay’s Kevin Kelly pitched a perfect seventh inning, Cole Sulser followed with a perfect eighth and Bryan Baker worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Braves starter AJ Smith-Shawver (0-2) pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on five hits and two walks. He fanned three.
Junior Caminero clobbered a fastball from Smith-Shawver for a 455-foot solo homer in the first inning, giving him the American League home run lead at 39. He needs one homer to become the franchise’s first player with multiple 40-homer seasons.
The Braves tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first on consecutive singles by Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin. Atlanta left the bases loaded when Austin Riley struck out to end the inning.
The Rays took the lead for good with a three-run outburst in the third inning. Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer to center field, his 18th. Hicks has hit safely in all nine career games at Truist Park. Later in the frame, Victor Mesa Jr., celebrating his 25th birthday, added an RBI single.
Tampa Bay scrambled for a run in the sixth. Jorge Mateo singled, advanced on Brent Suter’s errant pickoff attempt and scored on Yandy Diaz’s infield grounder.
The Rays struck for two more solo homers against reliever Elieser Hernandez. Diaz hit a 393-foot shot, his 22nd, in the eighth inning, and Richie Palacios socked a 381-foot line drive, his ninth long ball, in the ninth.
