Rays 0, Braves 9: Saturday night stinker

The Rays were shutout by Max Fried and the Braves.

The Rays won the first game back from the All-Star Break and look to make it a series win against Atlanta. Josh Fleming is on the mound against Max Fried and the Braves.

Wander Franco singled in the first to get the Rays’ first hit, but he was picked off of first for the inning’s second out. Fleming worked a 1-2-3 first inning.

The Braves threatened in the bottom of the third after former-Ray Kevan Smith hit a double to left field. Max Fried singled to put runners on the corners with only one out. Joc Pederson and Dansby Swanson both grounded out to keep it a scoreless game heading into the fourth.

The fourth fared worse for Fleming. Freddie Freeman led off with a single and was driven home by Ozzie Albies after Brett Phillips misplayed a ball in center. Albies moved up to third on the misplay and was driven home by Austin Riley via a sacrifice fly, making it 2-0 Atlanta. With two outs in the inning, Guillermo Heredia hit a ground-rule double.

Kevan Smith was walked to bring up Max Fried. Fried made the Rays pay for that mistake by hitting a two-run double to left, making it 4-0. Joc Pederson added onto that with a two-run home run, making it 6-0. Dansby Swanson popped out to finally end the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run to make it 7-0. With one out in the inning, JP Feyereisen was brought in to relieve Fleming, who had allowed seven runs on eight hits while striking out one.

Feyereisen started the bottom of the sixth and walked leadoff hitter Kevan Smith. Max Fried recorded his third hit of the night, putting runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved Smith to third and a double by Swanson plated him to make it 8-0. Freddie Freeman hit a sacrifice fly to make it 9-0. Ozzie Albies struck out to end the inning.

Brandon Lowe pinch-hit for Feyereisen with two outs in the top of the seventh but flew out to end the inning. Jeffrey Springs took the mound in the bottom-half and worked a perfect inning.

Francisco Mejia took the mound in the bottom of the eighth with Mike Zunino coming in to be his battery mate. Mejia allowed one single but that was it after throwing just seven pitches.

The Rays were unable to break the shutout in the top of the ninth despite a dropped third strike and a walk, so this game ended, 9-0. Four hits were all that the Rays could muster, and they will look to try and win the series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:20 pm. Rich Hill will take the mound for the Rays against former-Ray Drew Smyly.