Tampa Bay @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 14, 2014 ) Tampa Bay 1, Atlanta 6

The Atlanta Braves ended a long road trip with a flourish and look to extend a winning streak at home when they open a two-game series with Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The Braves, who opened their nine-game trip with losses in five of the first six contests, rebounded to win three straight over Miami this weekend to pull back within a game of .500

They did it with quality starting pitching, limiting the Marlins to a total of six runs in the three-game sweep, including their third shutout in a span of 13 games in Sunday's 6-0 victory. Braves starters are 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 15 May starts and will be facing a Tampa Bay offense that ranks 11th in the American League at four runs per game. The Rays have won four of six and put up some rare crooked numbers in an 11-3 win at Minnesota on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep. Atlanta has claimed two of three meetings in each of the last four series with Tampa Bay (2003, 2006, 2010 and 2012) and leads the all-time series 17-7.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Erasmo Ramirez (1-1, 6.66 ERA) vs. Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (2-0, 4.24)

The Rays shuffled their rotation in advance of this series by moving rookie Nate Karns out of Tuesday's slot and into Thursday's contest against Oakland at home, which gives Ramirez his fourth start of the year Tuesday. His last one was a gem, as the 25-year-old yielded one hit in five scoreless innings to defeat the New York Yankees on Friday. Since opening the season by allowing 15 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings over two rocky outings (one start), Ramirez has let up three runs in 19 frames.

Foltynewicz allowed two earned runs in a career-high 6 2/3 innings of a no-decision at Cincinnati on Tuesday, striking out seven for the second straight outing. He won his first two home starts, allowing six earned runs in 10 1/3 innings along the way. The former first-round pick has given up 19 hits and 10 walks in 17 frames overall.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay's staff ERA over the past 26 games is 2.84.

2. Braves 2B Jace Peterson has seven multi-hit games in his last 11 overall.

3. Rays 1B James Loney had four hits in Sunday's win and is batting .474 during a five-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Rays 4