Braves bats awaken late to avoid sweep vs. Rays

Ha-Seong Kim's two-run single was the difference as the Atlanta Braves plated three runs in the eighth inning to break a scoreless tie and roll to a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon to salvage the finale of the three-game series.

The rally came against Tampa Bay reliever Kevin Kelly (6-4) as the Braves scraped together five straight one-out hits after being held to two total hits through seven innings. Pinch hitter Ozzie Albies rapped a one-out triple off the wall in right field and scored on Austin Riley's sharp single. Mike Yastrzemski followed with a ground-rule double to right and Kim, who entered the game hitting .110, drove a two-run single into center field.

Didier Fuentes (6-2) worked a scoreless eighth inning to record the victory. Raisel Iglesias worked around one run in the ninth, a pinch-hit homer by Victor Mesa Jr., to earn his 32nd save.

Atlanta (86-61) avoided its first home series sweep of the season and ended its three-game losing streak against Tampa Bay (87-59), which entered having won four of its last five games.

The game quickly developed into a pitcher's duel between veterans Nick Martinez of Tampa Bay and Martin Perez of Atlanta. Neither permitted the opposition to score during their time on the mound.

The Rays loaded the bases in the first inning against Perez but had the rally squelched when the Braves were able to double up speedy Chandler Simpson on a sharp grounder. Tampa Bay didn't get another hit until Jonny Deluca's two-out single in the sixth.

Atlanta had just as much trouble reaching base against Martinez. Kim had an infield single with one out in the sixth -- the Braves' first hit since Matt Olson's first-inning single -- but was picked off.

Perez pitched seven innings and allowed four hits and two walks, striking out four. Perez came up short once again in his fifth attempt to earn his 100th career victory.

Martinez worked 6 1/3 innings and gave up two hits, striking out three. He has pitched 20 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings over his last three starts against Atlanta.

Braves outfielder Lane Thomas was a late scratch with left side tightness.