ATLANTA _ After a 41-minute rain delay and three runs, Sean Newcomb probably wouldn't have opposed a mulligan.
He got one. It didn't matter.
The Atlanta Braves quickly overcame a three-run deficit, but they couldn't stall the Tampa Bay Rays' offense, losing 8-5 Wednesday to split a pair of interleague games at SunTrust Park.
Newcomb retired the first two batters quietly before four consecutive Rays reached. Matt Duffy drew a walk and C.J. Cron doubled to set up a two-on, two-out circumstance. Joey Wendle's single scored both, and he came around on Carlos Gomez's hit.
Yet the Braves' offense reset the game in the bottom of the first. Following a pair of outs, Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis singled. Johan Camargo hammered a 99.7 mph fastball out to center for a tied game.
That was the fastest pitch resulting in a home run this season, according to Statcast. Camargo finished with three hits, a walk and two runs scored. He's hitting .349 in the fifth spot of the lineup (21 games).
Newcomb struck out Jesus Sucre and pitcher Diego Castillo in the second, yet singles by Willy Adames and Tommy Pham produced more two-out trouble. Newcomb escaped with a Duffy flyout, but sat at 54 pitches after two frames.
Cron opened the Rays' third with a homer. Braves manager Brian Snitker stayed with Newcomb, who made his last mistake in the fourth, allowing Pham's two-run homer to stretch the Rays' lead to 6-3.
The lefty exited after four innings. All six of the runs were earned. Newcomb has allowed five or more earned runs in three of his past four starts. He has a 6.81 ERA in five starts since his 8 2/3 no-hit innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 29.
Outside Camargo's homer, the Braves offense was pedestrian. They loaded the bases in the third, thanks to two walks, but Ozzie Albies' comebacker to the pitcher left the Braves empty-handed.
The game was delayed an hour and six minutes prior to the bottom of the sixth. Charlie Culberson and Ronald Acuna picked up RBIs in the eighth, pulling the Braves to within three.
The Phillies beat the Nationals, cutting the Braves' NL East lead to 3 { games.
