The red-hot Tampa Bay Rays are the next obstacle between the surprising Atlanta Braves and their pursuit of the National League East pennant.Tampa Bay (70-61) is nine games out of the final wild-card spot in the American League but has won eight straight games and just completed a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox Adam Wainwright Jersey , the team with the best record in baseball.Atlanta (73-57) has a three-game lead over Philadelphia in the NL East but only managed a split of a four-game weekend series against last-place Miami. The Braves are 5-5 in their last 10 games.Article continues below ...The two teams open a quick two-game series on Tuesday at SunTrust Park. Atlanta’s Julio Teheran (9-7, 4.09) will start the opener against Tampa Bay’s Ryne Stanek (2-3, 2.53).Teheran, a seven-year veteran on the Atlanta staff, has been good in August. In his last four starts, the right-hander has allowed seven runs in 25 2/3 innings for a 2.45 ERA. He has not allowed more than three runs in any start and has limited the opposition to one run in two games.Teheran’s control has been better (24 strikeouts, nine walks) and he has allowed only two home runs during the month. Gopher balls have plagued him this season; he has allowed 23 in 140 2/3 innings.Teheran threw seven strong innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates in his last start and allowed only one run despite an average fastball velocity of 88 mph. He was able to locate his pitches and baffled the Pirates.“We were talking about it during the game Michael Wacha Jersey ,” Atlanta catcher Tyler Flowers said. “He said, ‘I feel great. I’m just trying to locate it and not trying to overthrow it or anything.’ That’s what he ended up doing. I think that was one of his better command days with the full arsenal.”Stanek has been a workhorse for the Rays. He has appeared in 44 games and made 21 starts. He has not thrown more than two innings in any of his starts. In his 21 starts, Stanek is 0-2 with a 2.84 ERA, with opponents hitting .168 against him.He is the first pitcher to have 20 starts and 20 relief appearances since Toronto’s Esmil Rogers in 2013 and the first rookie to do it since Minnesota’s Joe Mays in 1999.Stanek pitched against Boston on Saturday and picked up his second career win. He came into the game and got a flyout on a 3-0 count, picked off an inherited runner and struck out a batter.Boston manager Alex Cora was impressed by the way Tampa Bay is playing.“They’ve been playing great,” Cora said. “They’ve been pitching. … It’s a different ballclub compared to early in the season. … It’s a different type of team. More athletes, fast guys. They put the ball in play. They’re very uncomfortable (to play) right now.”The Braves won the first two games against the Rays in early April http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-ozzie-smith-jersey , with Sean Newcomb and Teheran each picking up victories.Atlanta made a roster move on Sunday, recalling third baseman Rio Ruiz from Triple-A Gwinnett. Ruiz drew a walk as a pinch-hitter against the Marlins. He is batting .269 with nine homers and 72 RBIs for Gwinnett this season.Atlanta designated catcher Chris Stewart for assignment. The veteran spent most of the season in Gwinnett. FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Mookie Betts won a World Series in October, became a first-time dad nine days later, earned his first AL MVP award and was part of a team that won a professional bowling event.What can the 26-year-old do for an encore with the Boston Red Sox?“He can do whatever he wants in sports,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He can golf. He can shoot the basketball and he won a tournament in bowling. He can do it all. He’s just gifted.”“Yeah, it’s been fun. It’s been a great year Albert Pujols Jersey ,” Betts said Thursday. “It’s a new year now, so you have to look at in hindsight and smile about, know what’s going on now and take care of things and view things that way.”He hit a major league-leading .346 with 32 homers and 80 RBIs last year. Betts likely will be dropped a slot to second in the batting order behind Andrew Benintendi.Betts was a part of a Red Sox team that won a club-record 108 games and Boston’s fourth World Series title in 15 season. During the offseason, girlfriend Brianna Hammonds gave birth to the couple’s first child, a daughter they named Kynlee Ivory. He won the AL MVP, his third Gold Glove and teamed this month with pro bowler Tommy Jones, winning the PBA Celebrity Invitational.After finishing second to Mike Trout in the 2016 AL MVP vote http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-stan-musial-jersey , Betts put pressure on himself the following season and hit a career-worst .264 with 24 homers and 102 RBIs.“Having the struggles, I kind of know what to expect, what not to do,” he said. “Hopefully, I’m going to use that to my advantage and have another good year. I think just going out and playing, continuing to work hard. I think I’m a different player now than I was then. Fortunately, I was able to have a great year.”CAMP MYSTERYLeft-hander David Price changed his number from 24 to 10 and didn’t explain why.“I’m going to let you guys figure it out. It’s not that tough Roger Maris Jersey ,” he told reporters. “If you know me at all, I think you can get it.”It led to number of guesses that the pitcher rejected.MVP ARRIVESWorld Series MVP Steve Pearce arrived and joined Dustin Pedroia, Mitch Moreland and Brock Holt during batting practice in a cage on a back field. A small speaker on the grass played country music from an iPhone.“It was a fun offseason,” Pearce said. “I think a little bit’s changed, but I would say for the most part I had a fun offseason.”Notes: Cora said 2B Pedroia “looks good.” The infielder took some grounders before hitting in the cage. He’s attempting to return after a left knee injury cost him all but three games last season. .. Price joked that he thought RHP Ryan Brasier was left-handed the first time he was running in from the bullpen last year.