Rays lose second game against Braves, Wilson Ramos extends hit streak to 16
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- The Atlanta Braves' franchise record of consecutive zeroes is over. Their winning streak, however, is still going.
Nick Markakis' three-run homer provided the offense and the Braves stretched their streak of consecutive shutout innings on the road to 34 before it ended in the eighth inning of a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.
Wilson Ramos' two-run single with two outs in the eighth put an end to the streak, but the NL-East leading Braves won for the seventh straight time on the road. They have outscored opponents 41-6 in those seven wins.
"It's fun to know, especially as a pitcher, that the team is doing the best it's done in a long time," said Julio Teheran, who pitched six shutout innings. "We're having fun here and we can see the difference, especially me, being on the team for six years."
The streak of 34 scoreless innings is the longest for the Braves in the modern era (after 1900), according to the Elias Sports Bureau, surpassing the 30 consecutive innings by Atlanta's staff in July 1992.
Teheran (3-1) struck out seven in six shutout innings, the third time in four starts that the right-hander has not given up a run.
"He kind of picked up where he left off the other day," manager Brian Snitker said. "There is an overall crispness to everything he's doing."
Arodys Vizcaino pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven opportunities.
Markakis' homer capped a four-run third inning against Rays starter Ryan Yarbrough that gave the Braves with a 5-0 lead. It was the seventh homer of the season for Markakis, who hit only eight in 670 plate appearances last year.
"It's been a while," said Markakis, who is hitting .338. "But I'm just seeing the ball really well. The timing is really good, and I'm looking for pitches and not missing them."
Ender Inciarte, who came into the game in an 0-for-19 slump, drove in Atlanta's first run with a single, the first of his two hits.
Ramos' single extended his hitting streak to 16 games, the longest active streak in the majors.
Yarbrough (2-2) gave up five runs and six hits while striking out seven in five innings for the Rays, who have lost three straight.
"Obviously what stands out is the Markakis home run," Yarbrough said. "In that situation, I threw something that he could do some damage with. It was supposed to be a fastball away and it stayed in. Missed the spot. Just not executing."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: SS Dansby Swanson (left wrist inflammation) is eligible to come off the disabled list Monday, but is not yet swinging a bat.
Rays: SS Adeiny Hechevarria, who left Tuesday's game early with a left eye contusion, was out of the lineup but will play Friday, manager Kevin Cash said. ... RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right elbow surgery) struck out three in two innings in his second rehab start for Class A Charlotte, throwing 32 pitches and giving up one run on two hits. The Rays have not ruled out Eovaldi's return by the end of the month.
UP NEXT
Braves: Mike Foltynewicz (2-2) will pitch Thursday night's opener of a four-game series in Miami.
Rays: RHP Jake Faria (3-1) will pitch in Baltimore on Friday night in the opener of an 11-game road trip.
