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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 http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-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,” 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 Matt Williams Jersey , 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, 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. ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani gave yet another glimpse of what he could do at the plate just hours after announcing he planned to undergo Tommy John surgery and return next season only as a hitter.Ohtani’s bat was broken by a Yovani Gallardo slider, but he was strong enough to punch it into center for a single that tied the score and ignite a four-run rally Tuesday to lead the Angels to a 4-1 comeback over the Texas Rangers.Ohtani http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , Justin Upton, Taylor Ward and Kaleb Cowart all pushed in runs for the Angels.Despite being something of a sensation the first half of the season, Ohtani said he doesn’t feel he has proven he is a legitimate two-way player.“It’s been a small sample size with just one season, so can’t really say I proved to the world that I can continue being a two-way player,” Ohtani said.Texas’ Joey Gallo proved his 40-homer season last year was no fluke, hitting his 40th of this season off Matt Shoemaker in the third. Gallo has three more homers than singles (37) this season.Gallo became the fourth Rangers player to have back-to-back 40-homer seasons.“To do that, and to stay healthy all year, that’s hard to do,” Gallo said. “You’re playing 162 games Willie Mays Jersey , and the second year is always toughest. I knew there would be a dip with people making adjustments so it wasn’t something where I said ‘I’m going to hit 40 again no problem.’ “Gallardo (8-7) looked like he might make the lone run hold up, holding the Angels scoreless on three hits through five innings.But it all went wrong in the sixth. Kole Calhoun led off with a double, and after he advanced to third on a groundout, Mike Trout was walked intentionally.That led to Ohtani’s single off reliever Martin Perez, before third baseman Jurickson Profar’s throwing error on a grounder by Upton allowed Trout to score.The Angels scored another run after shortstop Elvis Andrus and second baseman Roughed Odor collided going for an Andrelton Simmons bouncer up the middle to load the bases. Ward walked to force in a run.Cowart lofted a deep sacrifice fly to left that scored Upton and the Angels had a 4-1 lead.TRAINER’S ROOMRangers: LHP Mike Minor has been shut down for the season. Used exclusively as a reliever by the Royals last season, he emerged as the Rangers’ most effective starter. He went 12-8 with a 4.18 ERA in 28 starts. The 30-year-old Minor threw 157 innings and that was simply deemed enough for this season.Angels: Ohtani has decided to have Tommy John surgery next week in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. The announcement was expected and Angels manager Mike Scioscia confirmed it means Ohtani will not pitch next season.OHTANI THE HITTERThe two-way star admitted to frustration at not being able to continue as a pitcher next season.“I am disappointed that I’m not going to be able to pitch next season, but I try to take positive out of negative things,” he said. “Normal (pitchers) won’t be able to play at all next season, but fortunately I’ll play as a hitter.”Ohtani said he was uncertain if he would be ready to hit by opening day: “There’s no really set date http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-evan-longoria-jersey , it’s going to depend on how the rehab goes and if there are no setbacks. I’ll have an update every four weeks or so after the surgery. I can’t give a timetable at this point.”SHOEMAKER STRONGThe right-hander gave up only the solo homer to Gallo in his five innings, allowing four hits and striking out seven without a walk. It was the best of his five starts since returning following forearm surgery that forced him to miss most of the season.It was likely his final start of the season.“I don’t know if there’s any more Show has to show this year,” Scioscia said.Said Shoemaker: “Just build off that, go into the offseason and keep getting better.”UP NEXTRangers: LHP Yohander Mendez (2-2, 6.04 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday in the series finale. He will be making his fifth career start after allowing a career-high in runs (eight) and hits (nine) in his last start against the Rays.Angels: LHP Andrew Heaney (9-10, 4.21) will attempt to even his record in his final start of the season. He’ll have to do it against a Rangers team he’s gone 1-3 against with a 7.50 ERA against in six career starts.