ATLANTA (AP) — Jose Siri hit tiebreaking, two-run homer in the ninth inning off Braves closer Raisel Iglesias, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Atlanta 8-6 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Ben Rortvedt hit the first grand slam of his career in the fourth and Brandon Lowe was 2-for-3 with a homer for the Rays, who entered having lost seven of nine.
Austin Riley hit a two-run homer in the eighth for Atlanta against Jason Adam (1-0) to tie the game at 6-all, his third straight game with a home run.
In the ninth, Iglesias (0-1) walked leadoff batter Randy Arozarena and struck out Richie Palacios before Siri hit a low changeup 416 feet to the stands in left-center.
Pete Fairbanks recorded his 10th save in 11 chances for the Rays, walking the leadoff man in the ninth before retiring the next three batters.
Rays starter Zach Eflin gave up four runs, three earned, on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
Braves rookie Hurston Waldrep struggled again in his second major league start, giving up six runs on five hits, including two homers, four walks and a hit batter in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out two. Waldrep has allowed 13 runs over seven innings in the majors.
Matt Olson extended his hitting streak to 10 games, going 3-for-3 with a double. For the second straight game as the Braves’ leadoff hitter, Jarred Kelenic hit a home run, this one leading off the game. Travis d’Arnaud was 2-for-4 with a homer.
Rortvedt’s grand slam broke a 2-2 tie in the fourth. With one out, Waldrep hit Arozarena with a pitch, then walked Palacios and Siri. Rortvedt pulled the first pitch just inside the right field foul pole for his first home run of the season.
The Braves cut the lead into the lead in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Adam Duvall and a throwing error by third baseman Palacios that plated Austin Riley. Palacios, playing third for the first time in his three-year career, committed two errors.
UP NEXT
Rays: RHP Aaron Civale (2-5, 5.20) will face Twins RHP Pablo López (6-6, 5.33) in the opener of a three-game series at Minnesota on Tuesday.
Braves: LHP Max Fried (6-3, 3.20) opens a three-game set against Tigers RHP Reese Olson (1-8, 3.68) in Atlanta on Monday.
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