The Red Sox went from losing 10 games in a row to winning 3 games straight and looking for 4 in what would be a full sweep of the Braves. The Sox had Jake Peavy on the mound and no David Ortiz in the lineup. The Sox went down early, but in the later innings were able to tie the game and then win it walk off style in the 9th inning.
The Braves got on the scoreboard first when Heyward hit a solo homerun off Peavy in the 3rd inning. The Braves scored a second run in the 4th inning but it was a little controversial. Peavy seemed to be struggling to see the signs put down by David Ross and as he was standing on the mound the 2nd base ump called a balk. Peavy was livid and Pedroia had to move him to the other side of the mound to avoid ejection. I guess Peavy moved his glove back and forth and then went to step off the mound, but I didn’t see it. After Freeman was given second base, Gattis hit an RBI single to score him. Sox 0-2.
The Sox finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the 5th when Brock Holt hit an RBI double to score Ross. Sox 1-2. All the while Jake Peavy just kept pitching. In the 8th inning he was still on the mound and gave the bullpen a much needed rest. Peavy gave up his 3rd run in the 8th inning when he gave up an RBI double to Freeman. Sox 1-3. Peavy finished out the inning and was done for the night. His pitching line was 111 pitches, 8 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 BB and 4 Ks. Peavy was in line for the loss, but the Sox bats would take care of that in the bottom of the inning.
The Sox got into the Braves bullpen and took advantage of what is usually pretty consistent and stellar relief pitching. Bogaerts hit an RBI single to score Holt and then Pierzynski hit an RBI single to tie the game. Sox 3-3. The Sox did have a runner on 3rd base and no outs, but unfortunately were unable to score. The 8th inning ended with the game still sitting 3-3. Koji Uehara came out for the 9th inning and while he gave up a leadoff single, he still finished the inning off with an efficient 9 pitches. In the bottom of the 9th, Kimbrel of the Braves walked both Jackie Bradley Jr and Brock Holt and then Xander Bogaerts came to the plate. X reached by way of an infield single and when the second baseman booted the ball, Jackie Bradley Jr came around to score. The Sox have now won 4 straight and got to celebrate walk off style!
Red Sox 4 Braves 3 BOXSCORE
WP: Uehara (1-1) LP: Kimbrel (0-1)
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