Late rally lets BoSox best Braves again
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jackie Bradley Jr. scored from second base on a ninth-inning throwing error -- one of three committed by the Atlanta Braves over the final two frames -- to cap a late rally that catapulted the resurgent Red Sox to an unusual 4-3 win at Fenway Park.
After scoring twice in the bottom of the eighth to tie the contest at 3-3, Boston capitalized on back-to-back walks issued by Braves closer Craig Kimbrel (0-1) to begin the Red Sox' half of the ninth.
Xander Bogaerts followed with a sharp grounder to third on which Chris Johnson made a diving stop and quickly threw to second, but Tommy La Stella couldn't handle the exchange as Bradley alertly circled third to complete the comeback.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We didn't handle the baseball the last two innings and it came back and bit us," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "It's a tough one to swallow."
The triumph was Boston's fourth in a row following a dreadful 10-game skid. All of them have come at the expense of the Braves, who dropped two to the Sox in Atlanta earlier in the week prior to this two-game set at Fenway.
Bogaerts and Brock Holt each collected three hits with an RBI, with Jake Peavy tossing eight strong innings of three-run ball for Boston in a no-decision. Koji Uehara (1-1) held Atlanta scoreless in the top of the ninth to pick up the win.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Peavy was great," Boston catcher David Ross said. "I thought Peavy was as good as you're going to get for him."
The Red Sox managed just one run on seven hits against Mike Minor in the Braves starter's seven innings of work. Jason Heyward paced Atlanta offensively with two hits, including a solo homer.
The Braves seemed on the verge of avoiding a sixth straight overall loss to the Red Sox when Freddie Freeman's eighth-inning double scored B.J. Upton from first for a 3-1 advantage. However, four straight singles and two costly Atlanta errors in the bottom of the inning pulled Boston back even entering the ninth.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Holt greeted reliever David Carpenter with a base hit and took second on a misplay in left field from Justin Upton, right before Bogaerts sent him home with a single. Dustin Pedroia and A.J. Pierzynski continued the hit parade, with Bogaerts scoring the tying run when B.J. Upton bobbled Pierzynski's shot up the middle.
Uehara then worked around a leadoff single by Ryan Doumit prior to Kimbrel faltering in the last of the ninth.
Both starters were outstanding up until departing, with Minor cruising through much of his stint and Peavy doing the same, save for a few mistakes early on.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He served up a flat changeup that Heyward belted into the seats in the third for the game's first run, then walked Freeman on five pitches to start the fourth and was later called for a balk to put the first baseman in position to score on Evan Gattis' single.
Doubles by Ross and Holt in the bottom of the fifth pulled Boston within 2-1, but the Sox managed just one hit over Minor's final two innings.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Red Sox have now won each of their last nine series against Atlanta ... Boston's Ryan Lavarnway, making his first career start at first base, left the game in the fifth inning due to a sore left wrist ... Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons returned to action after sitting out Wednesday's tilt with a sore right ankle and went 2-for-4 ... Pierzynski extended his hitting streak to eight games ... Heyward now has five extra base hits, including two homers, in five career games at Fenway.