C.J. Cron went 4-for-5, ending up a triple shy of the cycle, to help the Tampa Bay Rays to an 8-5 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday and a split of the two-game series at SunTrust Park.

Tampa Bay has won nine of its past 10 games. The Braves won the season series 3-1.

The game started 41 minutes late because of rain and was delayed for 66 minutes after the Rays batted in the sixth inning. First-place Atlanta saw its National League East lead slip to 3 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Cron improved to .365 (15-for-41) with three homers and four RBIs over his past 11 games. He scored two runs and drove in one with his 25th home run.

Diego Castillo started the game for Tampa Bay and allowed three runs in two innings. Jalen Beeks (4-1) got the win by pitching three shutout innings, allowing four hits and three walks. Jose Alvarado got the final four outs to earn his sixth save.

The losing pitcher was Sean Newcomb (11-7), who was roughed up for six runs on eight hits and two walks in four innings. He fanned seven. Newcomb has allowed at least five earned runs in six of his past 14 starts, including three of the last four.

The Rays scored three runs in the first inning on a two-run single by Joey Wendle and an RBI single by Carlos Gomez.

The Braves came back to tie the game in the bottom of the first when Johan Camargo blasted a three-run homer, his 14th. Camargo went 3-for-4 with two runs.

The Rays took the lead for good in the third when Cron connected on a solo homer to center field. Tommy Pham added a two-run homer in the fourth inning, his 16th, to put the Rays ahead 6-3.

Tampa Bay scored two more times in the fifth. Wendle scored on a throwing error, and Gomez scored on a bunt.

Atlanta cut the deficit to 8-5 in the eighth on RBI singles from Charlie Culberson and Ronald Acuna Jr.

The Braves made two roster moves on Wednesday. The acquired first baseman Lucas Duda from Kansas City for cash and claimed catcher Rene Rivera off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. They also recalled left-hander Kolby Allard from Triple-A Gwinnett and sent right-hander Chad Sobotka back to the Stripers.

--Field Level Media