The Red Sox haven’t seemed to be able to do anything to get a win and were sitting at a streak of 10 straight losses. The Sox were heading to Atlanta to play the red hot Braves for 2 games before heading back to Fenway to play 2 more games against the Braves. The Braves have one of the best pitching rotations in the MLB in terms of ERA.
Clay Buchholz was on the mound for the Sox and once again struggled right out of the gate. Buchholz was having a hard time commanding the zone and walking more batters than he was retiring. The Sox gave Buchholz a one run lead in the top of the 3rd when Jackie Bradley Jr hit a sac fly to score Sizemore. That lead did not last very long as Buchholz ended up giving up 3 runs in the bottom of the inning. Buch gave up a 2 run RBI double to Justin Upton and then an RBI single to Laird. Sox 1-3. The 4th inning did not get any better for Buchholz. Buchholz walked Heyward, gave up an RBI double to BJ Upton and then walked Freeman. That would be it for Buchholz who couldn’t even make it out of the 4th inning. Buchholz walked a career high 8 batters in his 3+ innings pitched. Burke Badenhop entered the game and allowed Buchholz’ inherited runners to score to close the book on his outing. Badenhop gave up an RBI double to Justin Upton and then an RBI single to Simmons. Sox 1-6.
The Red Sox offense took fate in their own hands in the top of the 5th inning. With 2 outs in the inning the Sox bats got to work. Pedroia hit a 2 run RBI single to score Nava and Holt. Sox 3-6. David Ortiz then came to the plate and hit a game tying 3 run homerun. There was a huge eruption from the Sox faithful which were in attendance at the game. Sox 6-6. Chris Capuano took the mound in the bottom of the inning and pitched a scoreless frame.
In the middle of the 6th inning the skies opened up and they put the tarp on the field. After a rain delay of a little over an hour, the Sox and Braves were back out on the field and trying to get that go ahead run. Edward Mujica took the mound for the Sox. Mujica has struggled for the Sox, however he has always had pretty good success in the NL. Mujica would summon some of that NL magic and have himself a quick, scoreless inning. In the top of the 7th the Sox grabbed not one, but two runs to have a lead late in the game that would luckily stick. The Sox had the bases loaded with one out and David Ortiz came to the plate. Papi didn’t hit a HR this time, but he did hit an RBI sac fly to have the Sox up 7-6. AJ Pierzynski would give the Sox an insurance run when he hit an RBI single to score Bogaerts. Sox 8-6. Junichi Tazawa pitched a scoreless 7th inning and then Andrew Miller pitched a scoreless 8th inning in order to have Koji Uehara finally come into the game with a save situation. Koji got a pop out, allowed a single, but then immediately erased it with a game ending double play. The Sox WIN!
Red Sox 8 Braves 6 BOXSCORE
WP: Mujica (2-1) LP: Thomas (1-2) SV: Uehara (10)
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