ATLANTA _ Ryan Yarbrough did just about everything he could for the Rays Thursday night in Atlanta.
Held the Braves to two runs. Kept traffic off the bases, allowing only two hits and three walks. Went deep, working into the seventh inning with 87 pitches.
He just didn't get enough help from his teammates in a 2-1 loss to the Braves.
A dazzling outing from Atlanta lefty Max Fried had something to do with that.
The Rays didn't get a man on base against Fried until two outs into the fifth when Mike Brosseau singled _ and that lasted about a minute, as he was picked off.
They got another hit and a walk in the sixth, then put together what on this night counted as a rally in the seventh _ a two-out double by Willy Adames, their first extra-base hit since Monday, and then a pinch-hit RBI single by Ji-Man Choi.
They could have had a shot for some ninth-inning dramatics, but leftfielder Adam Duvall made a running catch to rob Jose Martinez of an extra-base hit. Brandon Lowe followed with a single, but pinch-runner Kevin Kiermaier was thrown out trying to steal second, and went in without sliding. Hunter Renfroe struck out to end it.
The Braves got their runs in the second. Marcell Ozuna singled and Duvall was hit by a pitch, then Dansby Swanson singled and, an out later, Austin Riley delivered a sacrifice fly.
The Rays (4-3) have not been on the offense offensively, as the seventh-inning run was their 10th straight to come with two outs. Of the 38 they've scored overall this season, 20 have come with two outs.
Yarbrough has now had two solid starts, working 5-1/3 innings in his season debut Saturday against the Blue Jays.
The Rays left after the game for Baltimore, where they are slated to open a three-game weekend series on Friday night.
