The Atlanta Braves continue to show the world they are the best team in baseball. On Saturday night the Braves beat the Tampa Bay Rays (ATL 6, TB 1) for the second day in a row to improve their MLB-best record to 60-28. They are five games ahead of the Rays, who have baseball's second best record at 57-35. Tampa has lost a season-high seven straight games.
Sean Murphy's three-run home run was the decisive blow Saturday. Spencer Strider struck out 11 in 6 1/3 scoreless innings for Atlanta. Here is Murphy's blast:
It was not all good news for the Braves, however. Lefty reliever A.J. Minter exited the game with an injury in the eighth inning. He threw a pitch and grimaced, the trainer came out to chat, and Minter exited the game. With Dylan Lee and Tyler Matzek on the injured list, Minter is Atlanta's only healthy lefty reliever. Losing him for any length of time would be a big blow.
Atlanta's 60 wins are three more than the Rays and seven more than any other team. They have only 28 losses, seven fewer than any other team. Here is the top of the MLB standings at the moment:
Atlanta Braves: 60-28Tampa Bay Rays: 57-35 (5 GB)Baltimore Orioles: 53-35 (7 GB)Texas Rangers: 52-38 (9 GB)Arizona Diamondbacks: 52-38 (9 GB)The Braves have opened up 9.5-game lead in the NL East, easily the largest division lead in baseball. No other team has more than a 2.5-game lead. As for the Rays, their AL East lead over the Orioles is down to two games. It is their smallest lead since April 5, only seven days into the season.
Atlanta and the Rays wrap up their series with the first half finale at Tropicana Field on Sunday afternoon. All-Star Bryce Elder (7-1, 2.45 ERA) and Zach Eflin (9-4, 3.24 ERA) are the scheduled starting pitchers. The Braves are 27-4 in their last 31 games and have won their last 11 series.
