Meadows' RBI single in 10th lifts Tampa Bay past Braves 7-6

ATLANTA -- — Austin Meadows hit a single in the 10th-inning to score Brett Phillips from second base with the tiebreaking run, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Atlanta Braves 7-6 on Friday night.

With Phillips opening the 10th on second base, right-hander Jesse Chavez (0-2) walked Brandon Lowe before recording two outs. Chavez then gave up Meadows’ go-ahead single to right field, as Phillips slid across the plate and beat Abraham Almonte’s throw.

Freddie Freeman had four hits, including a two-run homer in the fifth. Austin Riley and Dansby Swanson also hit home runs for Atlanta.

Ji-Man Choi’s homer to lead off Tampa Bay’s fifth, an opposite-field shot he sliced just inside the left field foul pole, tied the game at 3-3.

Matt Wisler (1-1) had three strikeouts while allowing one hit in two scoreless innings. Pete Fairbanks pitched the 10th for his fourth save.

Charlie Morton, who won a combined 18 games for Tampa Bay the last two seasons before signing with Atlanta, allowed three runs on six hits and three walks in six innings. He had eight strikeouts.

The Rays tied the game at 6-6 in the eighth with two runs off Chris Martin. Joey Wendle’s infield hit drove in Wander Franco, who singled, from third base with the tying run.

After Rays starter Michael Wacha gave up a single to Almonte to start the bottom of the fifth, Freeman pulled a fastball from J.P Feyereisen over the right-field wall for his 20th homer and a 5-3 lead.

Wacha allowed four runs on five hits, including two homers, and two walks in four-plus innings.

The Rays cut the lead to 5-4 in the seventh. Wander Franco tripled to right field and scored on Austin Meadows' sacrifice fly.

Outfielder Joe Pederson, acquired from the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, did not arrive in Atlanta in time to be included in the lineup. He was activated and grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the 10th to end the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: RHP Nick Anderson threw batting practice in Port Charlotte, Florida, for the first time since being told in March he has a partially torn ligament in his right elbow. Manager Kevin Cash said Anderson threw his fastball at 90 to 93 mph. “He came away from it feeling really good,” Cash said. ... RHP Chris Archer (right forearm tightness) is scheduled to make a minor league rehab start on Saturday.

Braves: RHP Touki Toussaint (right shoulder) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and could make his 2021 debut on Tuesday against San Diego. ... RHP Ian Anderson (right shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 10-day IL. He won’t throw for seven to 10 days and then will be evaluated. ... IF Johan Camargo was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to clear a roster spot for Pederson.

UP NEXT

Braves LHP Max Fried (6-5, 4.71) will start in Saturday night’s second game of the series. He allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings in a 2-1 win over the Rays on July 30, 2020, at Truist Park. Tampa Bay hasn’t announced its starting pitcher.

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