Braves edge Rays to sweep two-game set in Atlanta

AP photo by John Amis / Atlanta Braves starter Max Fried pitches against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.
AP photo by John Amis / Atlanta Braves starter Max Fried pitches against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.

ATLANTA - Max Fried retired the first 14 batters he faced and combined with three relievers on a four-hitter as the Atlanta Braves beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Thursday night.

Dansby Swanson had a run-scoring single in Atlanta's two-run second inning.

Fried (1-0) struck out seven batters and walked one while allowing one run in 6 2/3 innings. The left-hander improved to 4-0 in four interleague starts.

Atlanta's Luke Jackson and Shane Greene combined for four outs before Mark Melancon pitched the ninth for his second save.

Left fielder Adam Duvall made a diving catch on the warning track of José Martinez's drive off Melancon to open the ninth. Brandon Lowe singled before pinch-runner Kevin Kiermaier was caught stealing without a slide on Tyler Flowers' throw to second base. Melancon struck out Hunter Renfroe to end it.

The 26-year-old Fried struck out the side in the first inning to set the pace for his dominant start.

Ryan Yarbrough (0-1) allowed two runs on only two hits with three walks in 6 1/3 innings.

The Braves won two home games over the Rays after losing two in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Fried was perfect before Mike Brosseau hit a single up the middle with two outs in the fifth. Fried picked Brosseau off first base to end the inning.

After Willy Adames' two-out double off Fried in the seventh, pinch-hitter Ji-Man Choi hit Jackson's first pitch to right field for a run-scoring single.

Swanson's second-inning single drove in Marcell Ozuna, who singled and moved to second when Duvall was hit by a pitch. Ozuna scored with a head-first slide as he avoided Mike Zunino's tag at the plate by reaching his hand to the plate.

Austin Riley's sacrifice fly drove in Duvall.

The Braves' two early runs placed Tampa Bay in a familiar position. The Rays have trailed in five straight games and six of their first seven.

Folty's plans

Atlanta right-hander Mike Foltynewicz, who cleared waivers after being designated for assignment on Tuesday, will work on regaining his strength at the team's alternate site at nearby Triple-A Gwinnett.

Foltynewicz showed a disturbing drop in velocity this season.

"I hope if he's not hurting or whatever he can get his stuff back," said manager Brian Snitker.

No team claimed Foltynewicz, whose 2020 contract for $6,425,000 included $2,379,630 for the remainder of the season.

Atlanta opens a four-game home series Friday against the New York Mets. The Braves took two of three against their National League East Division rivals last weekend in a season-opening series.

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