With the B lineup in for the Boston Red Sox (29-13), Atlanta Braves (26-17) pitcher John Smoltz took full advantage throwing seven innings of shutout ball picking up the win in a 14-0 contest.
Over matched and over powered by the veteran Smoltz (6-2) the Boston Red Sox that scored 13 runs in the first game of the double header were served with one walk, three hits, and seven strikeouts by the Braves ace.
Smoltz had total command of the game and lowered his ERA to 2.85 while throwing 103 pitches with 69 of them landing for strikes.
Devern Hansack’s (0-1) debut as a Red Sox starter was squashed early on a Chipper Jones homerun in the beginning of the first inning. Hansack survied this inning only giving up one run but it was downhill from there. Only going four innings, Hansack gave up four runs, three of which were earned, one walk, two strikeouts, and two homeruns.
Joel Pineiro came in to relieve Hansack and was typical Pineiro: plain awful. The pitcher brought in to eat up innings gave up four runs in only two innings pitched. Pineiro ate up more runs than innings for any Boston Red Sox fans’ liking.
The Braves continued to rough up Sox pitching scoring three runs off of Javier Lopez in only one inning pitched.
The only bright spot for the Red Sox pitching wise was J.C. Romero. Giving up a lead-off double to Braves catcher Brian McCann in the top of the eighth but then got out of the inning getting the next three batters out.
With offense pouring out of the bats of Braves hitters, they put up three more runs in the top of the ninth making the score 14-0 and answering back against the 13-3 loss they suffered in the day portion of the double-header.
The Boston Red Sox face Tim Hudson (5-1, 1.77 ERA) and the Atlanta Braves tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. The Sox will send Kason Gabbard (0-0) to the mound.
NOTES: The Red Sox will play the New York Yankees Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Currently they have a 9.5 game lead in the division and a 10.5 lead over the Yankees.
The Sox have won 10 of their last 13 games.
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