Majors-leading Braves beat the Rays 2-1 in a matchup of teams with the best records in baseball

By FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Sean Murphy hit a two-run homer and the red-hot Atlanta Braves began a weekend series between teams with the best records in the major leagues with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night. With right-hander Charlie Morton pitching into the seventh inning and Murphy extending a power surge that has seen Atlanta homer in 24 straight outings, the Braves won for the 19th time in 21 games to improve baseball’s best mark to 59-28. The AL-best Rays are 57-34 but have lost a season-high six straight. That may not be the lone reason for concern, though, after starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow left the game in the sixth inning with what the club described as “cramping.”