Tampa Bay @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2018 ) Tampa Bay 5, Atlanta 9

Ozzie Albies took the baseball world by storm in the first half of the season, and following a prolonged slump the Atlanta Braves second baseman is starting to produce again entering Wednesday’s home contest against the Tampa Bay Rays. Coming in with a .232 batting average in August, Albies collected three hits in Tuesday’s 9-5 victory that snapped Tampa Bay’s eight-game winning streak and pushed the Braves lead in the National League East to 4 1/2 games.

Atlanta also received four hits - including a homer - from center fielder Ender Inciarte in building its largest lead in the division this season. Tampa Bay came in nine games over .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2013, and had not allowed more than three runs in any contest during the run before giving up four runs in the fifth inning. Left fielder Tommy Pham finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored in the series opener, and is batting .500 during his four-game hitting streak. The Rays recorded 12 hits in beginning a three-city, eight-game road trip, the sixth time in the past seven games Tampa Bay has finished with 10 or more.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Diego Castillo (3-2, 3.23 ERA) vs. Braves LH Sean Newcomb (11-6, 3.57)

Castillo gets his third opportunity to serve as Tampa Bay's "opener," the first two coming against the Red Sox in the past two weeks. The 24-year-old rookie lasted 1 2/3 innings in both outings, giving up a total of three hits, and struck out four Red Sox in his last start Friday. Castillo last pitched Sunday in relief against Boston, firing a perfect seventh inning on just eight pitches.

Newcomb rebounded from two rough starts in a row to beat Miami on Thursday, earning his first victory since his near no-hitter July 29 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 25-year-old gave up two hits with eight strikeouts in six shutout innings, after allowing a combined 12 runs in his previous two outings. Newcomb beat the Rays on May 8, allowing two hits and no runs over six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rays OF Mallex Smith worked out Tuesday in Tampa Bay, and the team is hopeful he can return from a viral infection by late next week.

2. Atlanta signed C Tyler Flowers to a one-year, $4 million contract for 2019, with a $6 million club option for 2020.

3. Tampa Bay CF Kevin Kiermaier has hits in five of his past nine official at-bats over a three-game span.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Rays 3