Junior Caminero hits his 39th homer as the Rays beat the Braves 7-1

By: Bill Trocchi, The Associated Press Posted: 9:07 PM CDT Tuesday, Sep. 8, 2026

ATLANTA (AP) — Junior Caminero hit his 39th home run, one of four homers by Tampa Bay, and the Rays beat the Atlanta Braves 7-1 on Tuesday night.

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ATLANTA (AP) — Junior Caminero hit his 39th home run, one of four homers by Tampa Bay, and the Rays beat the Atlanta Braves 7-1 on Tuesday night.

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ATLANTA (AP) — Junior Caminero hit his 39th home run, one of four homers by Tampa Bay, and the Rays beat the Atlanta Braves 7-1 on Tuesday night.

Freddy Peralta (8-11) allowed just one run in six innings to win his third straight start. He is 3-2 since being traded from the Mets at the trade deadline and has given up just two runs in his last 18 innings.

Caminero was 2 for 3 with a walk, hit by pitch and two runs scored. His first-inning blast off Braves starter A.J. Smith-Shawver went 455 feet into the left field bleachers and gave him the American League lead in home runs. Liam Hicks added a two-run homer in the third to give the Rays a 3-1 lead and Yandy Díaz and Richie Palacios added solo homers in the eighth and ninth.

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero hits a solo home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Victor Mesa Jr. was 2 for 5 with a stolen base and RBI on his 25th birthday for Tampa Bay. Atlanta native Chandler Simpson had a single, a run scored and he stole his 40th base of the season in his first game at Truist Park. According to MLB researcher Sarah Langs, Simpson became the first player since Chad Curtis in 1992-93 to steal at least 40 bases in his first two seasons.

Smith-Shawver (0-2) continued a string of discouraging starts since rejoining the Braves after having Tommy John surgery last June. He gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings, and has surrendered 18 runs in 21 innings over five starts this season.

Drake Baldwin drove in Ronald Acuña Jr. in the first inning for the Braves only run.

Up next

Rays RHP Griffin Jax (6-10, 3.82 ERA) will start Wednesday against Braves RHP Reynaldo López (4-3, 3.64), who will make his first start since July thanks to left knee inflammation.