SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Atlanta Braves 7-2 on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, at Truist Park. Tampa Bay scored three runs in the first inning and three in the third, then added another in the sixth. Atlanta answered with single runs in the third and fifth. Griffin Jax earned the win and improved to 7-10, allowing one earned run on two hits with two strikeouts over five innings. Reynaldo López took the loss and fell to 4-4. Victor Mesa Jr. went 2 for 3 with a home run and one RBI for Tampa Bay, while Richie Palacios added a hit and one RBI. Drake Baldwin homered for Atlanta. Steven Matz and Bailey Falter each pitched two hitless innings with one strikeout. Tampa Bay had 10 hits; Atlanta had three. The game took 2:32 before 30,969 at Truist Park. Tampa Bay improved to 87-58; Atlanta dropped to 85-61. The teams meet again Thursday.