ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale pitched 6 2/3 strong innings, Ozzie Albies went 3 for 4 with an RBI and the Atlanta Braves used a three-run eighth inning to beat the slumping Seattle Mariners 4-1 on Friday night.

The Mariners, who hold the final American League wild card spot, lost for the sixth time in seven games during their current nine-game road trip.

The Braves’ outburst made a winner out of Tyler Kinley (5-3), who pitched a scoreless eighth inning. Kinley has 12 consecutive scoreless appearances for the Braves and has given up just 1 run in 15 games since being acquired from the Colorado Rockies.

Raisel Iglesias pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save.

Sale, in his second start since missing 62 games with a broken rib, gave up one run and four hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in 92 pitches.

Jurickson Profar was 2 for 4 with two runs scored. He led off the eighth with a double, then scored on Matt Olson’s single. Albies tripled home Olson, then scored on a single by Drake Baldwin.

The Braves were leading 1-0 when Sale was lifted with a runner on first and two outs in the seventh. Dominic Canzone and Leo Rivas singled off Dylan Lee to tie the game 1-1 before Lee struck out Harry Ford. It was the first at-bat of Ford’s MLB career.

Mariners starter Logan Gilbert gave up one run in six innings. He struck out seven and surrendered five hits and one walk.

Key moment

The first four batters for the Braves reached base in the eighth inning against Mariners reliever Gabe Speier (2-3), who failed to record an out. Olson’s single broke a 1-1 tie and Albies’ triple to right put the Braves in front 3-1.

Key stat

Chris Sale has pitched at least six innings and given up no more than one run in his last eight starts.

Up next

Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (4-5, 5.71) will face Braves rookie RHP Hurston Waldrep (4-0, 1.01) on Saturday.

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