Marcell Ozuna hits 1 of 4 Braves home runs in 9-2 rout of Rays

ATLANTA (AP) - Marcell Ozuna had three hits including one of four Braves home runs and Atlanta’s offensive resurgence continued in a 9-2 rout of the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

Charlie Morton (4-3) allowed one run on three hits over six innings while striking out eight, walking two and hitting two batters. He also picked a runner off first.

Jarred Kelenic, in his first game batting leadoff for the Braves after a hamstring injury to Michael Harris II, was 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs, while Austin Riley hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning. Matt Olson hit his 11th home run of the season.

Ozuna’s two RBIs gave him an NL-leading 62 for the season.

Ryan Pepiot (4-4) suffered his first road loss of the season for the Rays, who have lost seven of nine. He gave up five runs on six hits, walked three and struck out four.

Ozuna’s home run came during a three-home run barrage in the fifth inning that broke open the game. With two outs and the Rays leading 1-0, Kelenic lifted one to right field that barely cleared the wall. After Ozzie Albies walked, Ozuna hit his homer 423 feet to center, and then Olson followed that with a solo shot.

The Braves’ offense, the most prolific in the majors in 2023, struggled through May and the beginning of June, and the team was hoping the bats would warm up along with the weather. Saturday, the temperature in Atlanta hit 94 and the Braves had their first four-home run game since April 19. They have scored 22 runs in their last three games after scoring just 16 in seven games previous to that.

The Rays scored in the first inning when Josh Lowe drove in Brandon Lowe with a sacrifice fly. Randy Arozarena added a solo home run in the ninth. Braves pitchers combined to strike out 12.

UP NEXT

Braves rookie RHP Hurston Waldrep (0-1, 17.18) will make his second Major League start against Rays RHP Zach Eflin (3-4, 4.06) in the series finale on Sunday.

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