The Atlanta Braves took care of business at Truist Park on Thursday, September 10, 2026, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 in nine innings. Martín Pérez was the story on the mound, delivering seven scoreless frames, while Ha-Seong Kim supplied the offensive punch with two hits and two RBI. The win was clean, controlled, and exactly the kind of performance a team needs this deep into the regular season.

Martín Pérez Dominates Tampa Bay Over Seven Innings

Pérez was outstanding from the first pitch. He worked seven full innings, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out four. He did not surrender a single earned run, leaving the Rays' lineup frustrated and Atlanta's bullpen with plenty of runway. That kind of outing — efficient, low-stress, deep into the game — is what you want from your starter. Pérez gave the Braves exactly that.

Ha-Seong Kim Provides the Offensive Lift

On a night when Tampa Bay's Nick Martinez kept Atlanta mostly in check through 6.1 innings — allowing only two hits and no earned runs with three strikeouts — it was Kevin Kelly who cracked under pressure. The Rays reliever came on and was touched for four hits and three earned runs in just one-third of an inning, and that eighth-inning burst was the difference. Ha-Seong Kim was at the center of the damage, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. His performance against Kelly represented the decisive turning point of the game.

Bullpen Closes It Out With Fuentes and Iglesias

After Pérez exited with a seven-inning gem in hand, the Braves turned to their bullpen to finish it. Didier Fuentes handled the eighth with a perfect inning — one strikeout, no hits, no walks — and earned the win in the process. Raisel Iglesias closed things out in the ninth, picking up the save despite allowing a Victor Mesa Jr. solo home run that made it a 3-1 game. Iglesias also walked one and struck out one, so it was not a pristine ninth, but he got the job done.

Tampa Bay's Lone Bright Spots

  • Jonny DeLuca went 2-for-3 for Tampa Bay, providing two of the Rays' four hits on the night.
  • Victor Mesa Jr. hit a solo home run in the ninth inning, accounting for Tampa Bay's only run.
  • Nick Martinez pitched well in defeat, going 6.1 innings while allowing just two hits and zero earned runs.

Turning Point: The Eighth-Inning Rally

The game was scoreless heading into the late innings, with both starters — Pérez and Martinez — doing their jobs. But when Kelly entered and Atlanta's offense erupted for four hits and three runs in one-third of an inning, the contest shifted decisively. Kim's two-RBI performance in that stretch gave the Braves the cushion they needed to close it out. Cam Booser and Casey Legumina kept Tampa Bay from adding anything further after the damage was done.

What's Next for the Braves

Atlanta picks up a solid home win with this 3-1 result, getting a quality start from Pérez and timely contributions from Kim and the bullpen. The Braves will look to build on this performance as the 2026 regular season continues to wind down.