ATLANTA -- After his previous start, Sonny Gray said he felt very close to his old self. He proved those feelings to be true in Monday night’s series opener against Atlanta.

Gray and MLB strikeout leader Spencer Strider dueled through six innings, both only allowing one run until a crushing three-run Braves seventh inning sealed the Twins’ series-opening 4-1 loss at Truist Park.

“Yeah, it was back and forth from the pitchers inning after inning,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Sonny was fantastic. Sonny was just -- he was great. And we talk about attacking all the time. He attacked their lineup.”

Gray allowed three runs on seven hits (one homer) and one walk over 6 2/3 innings while striking out five. And Gray did, in fact, resemble that former self who dominated the Majors in April. That month, he had the lowest ERA in the Majors (0.77) and the second-most strikeouts in the American League (41).

But Monday's strong start faltered in the seventh inning. After being up 3-1 in the count to the leadoff batter Marcell Ozuna, the 33-year-old gave up a go-ahead home run. Gray rebounded by inducing two groundouts, but exited after allowing a single to Michael Harris II.

The single had bounced off of first baseman Alex Kirilloff’s glove and second baseman Donovan Solano had caught it, but the speedy Harris beat Gray to first. Harris’ third hit of the night set the stage for Ronald Acuña Jr.’s two-run homer to seal the game.

“I felt good throughout the night,” Gray said. “I mean, they clearly got a good team [and] got a really good lineup. They're swinging the bat well. For most of the game, pretty much, I felt convicted in every pitch that I threw. They were just a little bit better than we were tonight.”

If Gray had gotten the out vs. Harris to end the inning, it would have been the first time he pitched seven innings since April 24. Still, Gray had dealt, recording four straight outs to start his outing and logging five strikeouts. He picked off Travis d’Arnaud at first base in the second after the catcher hit a single and he induced a groundout to end the third after Harris doubled.

Gray continuously did his best to limit damage. In the fourth Gray induced what could have been a double play against d’Arnaud, but the ball reached first too late and a run scored on the fielder’s choice.

“I made the pitch I wanted to Travis,” Gray said. “I have a vision of him, in my head, hitting a ground ball to short and it being a double play. He just got it off the end. It was a little bit too slow.”

Gray leaned into his sweeper and cutter more, displaying the range of his arsenal while recording his most strikeouts since May 23. Gray got five whiffs via his curveball (out of nine swings), while his four–seam fastball averaged 93.3 mph Monday, which was down a bit from his prior outing (93.5 mph) , but remains the highest average four-seam velo he’s thrown this season. (As a whole his four-seamer is averaging 92.7 mph this year).

“The stuff has definitely taken a half-tick up, I would say, over the last couple of starts,” Baldelli said. “I mean, from the very beginning of the outing to the very end of the outing, he looked just the way that I bet he would want. He said last outing -- he goes, ‘I feel like I’m really close to being exactly where I want to be.’ I thought he looked great.”

While Gray kept the high-powered Braves offense quiet as long as he could, Strider kept the Twins under wraps after he gave up a solo home run to Joey Gallo in the second. Minnesota went 6-for-33 and struck out 12 times -- with Strider dealing 10 of those K’s. The Twins had chances to score but stranded seven runners on base.

“I just think -- like I always say when I see a good pitcher locating the ball where he wants to -- I just think that’s difficult [for] us, the hitter,” said Willi Castro, who went 0-for-4. “We try to look to see a fastball, and [Strider] doesn’t throw a fastball. He’s really mixing up the pitches pretty good. That’s what makes him a pretty good pitcher.”