Rafael Devers’ grand slam capped a six-run second inning and helped the visiting Boston Red Sox end their five-game losing streak with a 9-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
Devers went 2-for-4 with two runs while increasing his RBI total to a team-leading 15. It was the fifth home run of the season for Devers and his third career grand slam.
The blast came against Kyle Wright (3-2), who worked 4 2/3 innings and allowed six runs on seven hits and four walks with four strikeouts. It was Wright’s shortest outing of the season, and he allowed as many runs as he had in his first five starts combined. The grand slam was only the second homer he has served up this year.
Boston starter Garrett Whitlock went three innings and yielded three runs on four hits. He walked four and fanned five.
The winning pitcher was Tyler Danish (1-0), who allowed one hit and struck out two in two scoreless innings. The right-hander earned his first major league victory since 2018.
John Schreiber pitched two perfect innings, striking out three, to earn his first career save.
Boston’s second-inning rally included an RBI single by Christian Vazquez and a bases-loaded walk by Jackie Bradley Jr., both with one out. With two outs, Devers slammed the first pitch from Wright to deep center field to make it 6-0.
Atlanta responded by scoring three times in the third to cut the deficit in half. Marcell Ozuna drove in first the first run with a sacrifice fly, and Travis d’Arnaud followed with a two-run homer, his third long ball of the year.
The Braves made it 6-4 with a run in the seventh inning on Ozuna’s fielder’s-choice groundout.
Boston put it away by scoring three times in the ninth. Alex Verdugo walked with the bases loaded and Trevor Story drove in two more with a single to left.
Boston’s Xander Bogaerts went 3-for-5, his major-league-leading eighth three-hit game, and upped his batting average to .354.
Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. went 1-for-3 with two walks. He has reached base in a 24 straight games dating back to last season.
–Field Level Media
