Aiming for a series win in interleague play, the Tampa Bay Rays will look to make matters worse for the visiting Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon.

Tampa Bay catcher Danny Jansen — who entered Friday’s series opener 1-for-26 (.038) at the plate — tallied three hits (including a two-run homer) and four RBIs as the Rays posted a 6-3 victory over the struggling Braves.

The Rays had dropped six of seven entering the weekend set, but they hope Jansen’s big night creates momentum heading into Saturday.

“We had all the confidence in the world that Danny was going to get going, and it felt like tonight he started that,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “And defensively, he blocks the ball as well as any guy I’ve seen in a 12-, 13-game span. He wants what’s best for the pitchers, and that they go out and have success.”

After last year’s midseason trade sent him from Toronto to Boston, Jansen signed a one-year, $8.5 million contract with the Rays in December.

Rays left fielder Christopher Morel also recorded three hits, including a homer, on Friday as Tampa Bay reached the six-run mark for the first time since a 7-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 1.

Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 0.90 ERA) will look to continue his sizzling start on the mound for the Rays on Saturday. The right-hander shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates over five innings in a 6-1 win on March 31 before allowing just one earned run across five frames in a no-decision against the Texas Rangers last Sunday. The Rays lost 4-3.

Rasmussen, 29, will face the Braves for the third time in his career, but first as a starter. He allowed one earned run across two outings as a reliever in 2021 against Atlanta.

The Braves saw their disappointing start to the season continue on Friday as they dropped their 10th game in 13 tries. Starter Bryce Elder allowed five runs over six innings, and a pair of eighth-inning solo homers from Marcell Ozuna and Ozzie Albies weren’t enough for Atlanta, which couldn’t build on a series win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

AJ Smith-Shawver (0-2, 5.19 ERA) will start on Saturday for Atlanta, making his third appearance of the season. Smith-Shawver allowed three runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in his most recent outing, a 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins last Saturday.

As Atlanta deals with the loss of starter Reynaldo Lopez, who recently underwent surgery on his right shoulder, and awaits the return of Spencer Strider, the club will need quality outings from Smith-Shawver – who’s surrendered six walks in 8 2/3 innings.

“He’s learning. He’s going to learn every time out,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Smith-Shawver. “It’s hard to do that at the big league level. I know we’re in a big swing-and-miss type of industry right now, but you still better command a fastball if you’re going to make it as a starting pitcher.”

Saturday will mark the 22-year-old right-hander’s first career start against Tampa Bay.

–Field Level Media