Atlanta’s hit is effective as Sale improves to 7-0 at home with win over Rays

By CHARLES ODUM

Associated Press

ATLANTA — Austin Riley drove in three runs on three hits, including one two-point circuitMarcell Ozuna added a three-run shot and the Atlanta Braves offense showed signs of recovery in a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.

Chris Sale (9-2) improved to 7-0 at home. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits and two walks in seven innings.

Braves leadoff hitter Michael Harris II left in the first inning with a left hamstring strain and is headed to the 10-day injured list, according to manager Brian Snitker.

“He said he felt something,” Snitker said of Harris, who will undergo imaging tests Saturday. “It’s usually not good.”

Atlanta lost right fielder and reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. to a season-ending knee injury on May 26.

Riley hit a double in Atlanta’s five-run first inning and added a two-run homer, only his fourth, in the second. He had a .220 batting average with only three home runs in the game.

“I obviously worked hard to get it right,” Riley said. “Seeing results is good.”

The Braves’ seven runs, all in the first two innings, were their best total for a complete game since an 8-3 win at Boston on June 4. It was a much-awaited positive point for a training in difficulty.

“Getting Austin involved is huge for us,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

The Braves’ 3.55 runs per game since May 1 ranks as the second-lowest average in the majors, ahead of only the Chicago White Sox (3.25), during that span.

Atlanta’s bats showed encouraging production in a 6-3 win at Baltimore on Thursday, snapping a five-game losing streak. The Braves’ 12 hits against Baltimore were their most since June 1. They added 12 against Rays right-hander Zack Littell (2-5) and four relievers.

Ozuna has been the only consistent hitter in an otherwise disappointing lineup. He leads the NL with 19 home runs and 60 RBIs.

“I don’t feel like he gets enough love from the baseball world for what he does for us, almost every night,” Riley said of Ozuna.

The Rays took a 1-0 lead in the first period on Amed Rosario’s RBI double, but stranded runners at second and third when Sale struck out Jose Siri and Jonny DeLuca.

Littell allowed seven runs, six earned, on eight hits, including homers by Ozuna and Riley, in two innings.

“I just didn’t execute,” Littell said. “Just a bad night.” I threw pitches in bad places. I kind of got away from what I was doing well.

Braves outfielder Jarred Kelenic hit a jumper over the wall on DeLuca’s drive off Dylan Lee in the ninth after a double from Siri. Richie Palacios, who hit a run-scoring double in the seventh, drove in Siri with a single. Raisel Iglesias recorded the final takedown for his 18th save.

Former Rays RHP Charlie Morton (3-3, 4.12) will face his former team when the Braves take on Tampa Bay RHP Ryan Pepiot (4-3, 4.17) on Saturday. Morton pitched for the Rays in 2019 and 2020.