The Rays have to figure it out against left-handed pitching or with the bases loaded, ideally both, or it will be another quick exit in October.
With how well Tampa Bay right-hander Nick Martinez threw today, going 6.1 IP and only allowing two hits and no runs, the offense appeared to have had too much Waffle House before the matinee in Atlanta.
In the top of the first, the Rays offense had their chance at an All-Star Special early on Braves lefty Martin Perez.
Bases loaded, one out, and Chandler Simpson grounds out into a rare 3-2-3 double play to end the inning.
From the bottom of the first through the bottom of the fifth, both the Rays and Braves traded off frames of five batters or less with nothing to show for it. Scoreless and steamy on an 83-degree, partly cloudy day in Cobb County, we fast forward to the eighth.
Good old-fashioned BABIP luck came to bite Kevin Kelly, as an Ozzie Albies triple and an Austin Riley backside single gave the Braves a 1-0 lead, and who other than Ha-Seong Kim to provide the insurance with a two-run RBI single.
Tampa Bay would threaten in the ninth with a Victor Mesa Jr. solo shot off Raisel Iglesias followed by a Chandler Simpson walk, but it went all for naught as the Rays drop the finale from Truist Park.
Tampa bay returns home to face the AL West-leading Astros with a magic number of 1 to clinch a playoff spot.