TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Danny Jansen hit his first home run of the season and drove in four runs, Christopher Morel also homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Friday night.
Jansen, who had one hit in his first 27 at-bats through the Rays’ first 12 games, hit a two-run homer on a first-pitch sinker from Bryce Elder in the fourth inning, scoring Kameron Misner. In his next at-bat in the sixth, the 29-year-old catcher hit an RBI single to center and added a ground-rule double in the eighth that scored another run.
Morel hit a solo shot in the sixth and finished with three hits.
Rays starter Taj Bradley (2-0) struggled to get through the first, needing 32 pitches to get through the inning and allowing one run. Atlanta’s Matt Olson drove in Austin Riley with a single to give the Braves a 1-0 lead before Bradley struck out Bryan De La Cruz and Jarred Kelenic with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Bradley worked six innings and limited Atlanta to one run on five hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts.
The Braves, who didn’t arrive at their Tampa Bay-area hotel until 4:45 a.m. after a rain-delayed, extra-inning win over Philadelphia on Thursday night, tried to rally late.
The Braves hit two homers off Edwin Uceta in the eighth. Marcell Ozuna launched a 425-foot shot to left-center field with one out. Ozzie Albies took advantage of the short porch in right for his second homer of the season.
Elder (0-1) took the loss, allowing nine hits and five runs with four strikeouts.
Atlanta (3-10) lost its eighth straight road game and became the first National League team to reach the 10-loss mark.
Key moment
Right after the Rays had a run taken away on an overturned call at the plate, catcher Jansen hit his 358-foot, two-run shot to left.
Key stat
Bradley struck out seven batters, pushing him past the 300 mark with 304 career strikeouts.
Up next
Atlanta sends RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (0-2, 5.19) against Tampa Bay’s RHP Drew Rassmussen (1-0, 1.38) on Saturday.
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