Tampa Bay @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( May 9, 2018 ) Atlanta 5, Tampa Bay 2

The Tampa Bay Rays are 8 1/2 games back in the American League wild-card race and buried in the AL East, but they carry an eight-game winning streak and plenty of momentum into Tuesday’s series opener at the Atlanta Braves. The Rays capped a three-game sweep of Boston over the weekend with a 9-1 victory Sunday, pushing Tampa Bay’s record to 70-61 and reaching nine games above .500 for the first time since 2015.

Designated hitter Ji-Man Choi is one of several Rays who is hot in August, collecting hits in 12 of his past 13 games while batting .348 with a 1.064 OPS in that span to help Tampa Bay go 13-4 over the last 17. The Braves enjoyed a day off Monday after going 13-9 during a 22-game stretch since Aug. 7, and hold a 3 1/2-game advantage over second-place Philadelphia in the National League East. Atlanta wrapped up a 5-2 road trip by beating Miami 4-0 on Sunday, and while the Braves hit .200 as a team during visits to Pittsburgh and the Marlins, their pitching staff posted a 0.89 ERA while allowing six runs in seven games. Outfielder Ronald Acuna is emerging as the front-runner for NL Rookie of the Year, hitting .343 with a .737 slugging percentage and 10 homers in 26 games during August.

TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS Southeast (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Ryne Stanek (2-3, 2.53 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (9-7, 4.09)

Stanek has been one of several relief arms Tampa Bay has used as an “opener” this season, a reliever who begins the game and typically pitches one-to-two innings. The 27-year-old makes his 22nd start of the season and while throwing just 31 2/3 innings in his first 21 starts, he is holding opponents to a .168 batting average while posting a 2.84 ERA in those assignments. Stanek pitched two perfect innings in his last start Wednesday against Kansas City, then earned the victory with a scoreless inning of relief Saturday against Boston.

Teheran has pitched very well since July 30, recording a 2.93 ERA and holding opponents to a .155 opponents batting average with 16 hits allowed in 30 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old snapped a string of three consecutive no-decisions Wednesday at Pittsburgh, surrendering one run on two hits with one walk and five strikeouts over seven innings to get the victory. Teheran beat the Rays in Tampa on May 9, allowing four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in six scoreless frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Braves SS Dansby Swanson has hits in 11 of his past 14 games, posting a 1.01 OPS in that span.

2. Tampa Bay 3B Matt Duffy is hitting .476 during his current five-game hitting streak, and has collected multiple hits four times in that span - including a three-hit effort Sunday.

3. Atlanta swept a two-game series at Tampa Bay on May 8-9, getting a homer from Acuna in the first game and a three-run shot from RF Nick Markakis in the finale.

PREDICTION: Braves 4, Rays 2