Rays Rally in the Sixth, Braves Answer Late at CoolToday Park

The Tampa Bay Rays moved to 6-13 in the preseason after a 5-3 result against the Atlanta Braves, who improved to 13-4, at CoolToday Park.

First inning

The Rays opened with 1 hit in the top of the inning but came away with 0 runs as Atlanta scored 1 run on 1 hit in the bottom half.

Second inning

The Rays added 1 more hit in the inning and again left the frame without a run, keeping pressure on a lineup that finished with 7 hits and 6 runners left on base.

Third inning

The Rays were charged with their only error in the field during a scoreless inning, while starter Ryan Pepiot worked through a first-outing line that included 1 earned run over 2.1 innings with 5 strikeouts.

Fourth inning

The Rays posted 0 hits and 0 runs in the inning as the Braves scratched out 1 hit without scoring.

Fifth inning

The Rays collected 1 hit but did not score, and Atlanta swung the game with 3 runs on 4 hits in the bottom of the inning to create the margin the Rayhawks chased.

Sixth inning

The Rays delivered their scoring inning with 3 runs on 2 hits, and the Rays vs Braves match summary pivoted on a home run that supplied all 3 runs with 3 runs batted in as Tampa Bay went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position on the day.

Seventh inning

The Rays put 1 hit on the board but did not score, and Chandler Simpson’s previous-game hitting mark of a .333 average stayed relevant as Tampa Bay leaned on contact to keep innings alive.

Eighth inning

The Rays produced 1 hit and 0 runs while the Braves added 1 run on 2 hits, and what went wrong for Rays showed up in the pitching line that finished with 5 earned runs allowed and a bullpen split of 7.2 earned run average after the starter.

Ninth inning

The Rays went hitless in the top of the ninth as Atlanta closed out a game that featured 2 Braves errors and 0 Rays errors, and Rays vs Braves highlights also included 2 stolen bases by Tampa Bay while the pitching staff allowed 2 home runs and 3 walks in a Rays vs Braves tactical recap shaped by 142 Rays pitches against 125 for Atlanta.

The Rays are scheduled to play the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida on 3/13/2026 at 1:05 PM EDT, and the broadcast is set to air on ATL Video.