The Tampa Bay Rays cruised to a 9-8 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Charlotte Sports Park on Sunday in spring training action. Ben Williamson paced the offense, going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. Logan Workman worked 2.2 innings on the mound, allowing 5 earned runs on 8 hits. The Rays finished with 14 hits on the day while holding the Braves to 12. The victory gives the Rays positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.
Key Performers
Ben Williamson was the standout at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Rays confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Brayden Taylor added to the attack, going 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI, Taylor Walls provided support, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Jake Fraley also contributed, going 2-for-2 with an RBI. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Ben Gamel led the Braves offense with a 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI day. Jair Camargo also contributed, going 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBI. Luke Williams added a 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Rays pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Logan Workman got the start, struggling with his command, working 2.2 innings while allowing 5 earned runs on 8 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 56 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Rays evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.1 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out seven. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Trevor Martin recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Chase Solesky stood out with 2.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
Braves got on the board first with four runs in the first inning. The Rays responded with a run in the first. Braves countered with a run in the second. The Rays struck back with five runs in the second. The Rays added a run in the fifth. Braves responded with a run in the seventh. Braves pushed across two runs in the eighth. The Rays struck back with two runs in the eighth. The Rays spread their scoring across four different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Rays out-hit Braves 14-12 on the day, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 4,172 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Rays can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.
