ATLANTA -- Talk about storybook finishes.
In one of the craziest, most unpredictable games of the season, the Red Sox stole a 9-8 victory from the Atlanta Braves when Brandon Phillips, making his Red Sox debut in his hometown, smashed a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth.
Earlier, trailing 7-1 in the top of the eighth inning, the Red Sox stormed back with six runs and had pinch-hitter Mookie Betts at the plate with the bases loaded, threatening to take their first lead.
But before the Red Sox could enjoy giving themselves a fresh start, Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman snapped the tie with a solo homer off Brandon Workman, putting the Atlanta Braves back on top, 8-7.
The win stretched the Red Sox winning streak to three and saw them improve their interleague record to 14-3, while giving them a 5-2 record on their second-to-last road trip of the season.
The Braves had staked themselves to their big lead with five runs off reliever Drew Pomeranz in the fifth. The Sox, meanwhile, had just two hits through the first seven innings.
But in the eighth, they sent a dozen men the plate, as Blake Swihart knocked in two with a double and Ian Kinsler providing a two-run, pinch-hit single.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS
3:26 Well, that didn't last long. After storming back with six runs in the top of the eighth, the Red Sox hand back the lead 10 hitters later as Freddie Freeman hammers a four-seamer from Brandon Workman out to right for a solo homer, giving the Braves the lead again.
3:19 What an inning. The Red Sox storm back with six runs, but also leave the bases loaded as pinch-hitter Mookie Betts takes a called third strike for the third out.
3:02 Pinch-hit, two-run single from Ian Kinsler, and the Red Sox have come all the way back from being down six runs to tie the game at 7-7 in the eighth. Kinsler has 8 RBI in his last nine games.
2:47 A bases-loaded double from Blake Swihart scores two, and the Red Sox are finally making some noise in this one. Two in, two on and still no out. Swihart now has five RBI in his last five games.
2:34 It's the vaunted double-switch! Tzu-Wei Lin takes over at short, but with Bobby Poyner replacing William Cuevas, Poyner will hit seventh and Lin ninth. National League baseball fever -- catch it!!
1:51 Two-run triple for Ozzie Albies and the rout is on. Drew Pomeranz is done, having allowed two walks and thre hits to the six hitters he faced. He leaves a runner at third for William Cuevas.
1:41 Poor decision by Jackie Bradley Jr. there. Ronald Acuna Jr. went from first-to-third on a single up the middle from Ender Inciarte, and when Bradley threw to third -- with no chance to get Acuna -- Inciarte took second, giving the Braves two runners in scoring position with no out.
1:31 All things considered, not a bad start from Velazquez, who gives the Red Sox four innings, allowing two runs, before being lifted for a pinch-hitter. But that means the Red Sox have gotten just two quality starts in the last 17 games. To find a start in which a Red Sox starter pitched six innings or more, you have to go back to Aug. 23, when David Price went eight against Cleveland.
1:22 Textbook relay by the Red Sox, as Lucas Duda is thrown out at home, with the throw going from left fielder Andrew Benintendi to Brock Holt to Christian Vazquez. Nicely executed, saves a run.
1:17 Mike Foltynewicz is again giving the Red Sox difficulty. He limited them to a run over seven innings at Fenway back in May, and he's done the same for four innings here today.
12:35 Nice slide by Brandon Phillips, who walked in his first at-bat as a member of the Red Sox, took third on a single by Rafael Devers and scored on an infield groundout, avoiding the tag at the plate, for the first run of the afternoon for Boston.
12:17 Doesn't take long for the Braves to break through. Ronald Acuna homers on the second pitch thrown by Hector Velazquez, and one pitch later, Ender Inciarte triples. Three pitches, two extra-base hits allowed so far.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Atlanta Braves
WHEN: 12:10 p.m.
WHERE: SunTrust Park
WHAT'S UP: This is the final game of a seven-game road trip, with Red Sox going 4-2 in the first six games. The magic number to clinch a playoff spot is five games and the magic number for clinching the division is 15. Overall, the Red Sox are 6-2 in their last eight games. After today, 15 of the final 21 games are at home for the Sox. Boston enters this matinee game with an MLB-best 31-8 (.795), including 15-3 in their last 18 day games. The Sox are also 24-4 in their last 28 interleague games and haven't lost any of their last 12 (9-0-3) series against National League teams. Since 2005, they're 28-10 against the Braves, including 15 wins in the last 19 meetings. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts has set career highs in doubles (41) and extra-base hits (63) and has tied his career best in RBI (89) with 22 games still remaining. He's also one of just three Red Sox shortstops in the last 50 years to hit 40 doubles in a season, joining John Valentin and Nomar Garciaparra. Starter Hector Velazquez will be making his seventh start of this season. He comes into today with a 2-2 mark and a 3.91 ERA in those starts. His last outing -- against Tampa -- was easily his worst of the year; the Rays battered him for eight runs -- though just three were earned -- in just 2.2 innings on Aug. 24. Velazquez made two earlier relief appearances against the Braves, allowing one runs in 2.2 innings combined. Today will mark his first career start against a National League team. Meanwhile, Atlanta's Mike Foltynewicz, will be making his second start against the Sox. He beat them back on May 27, throwing one of the better starts against them this season when he allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings. In his last start, however, he was pounded for five runs over six innings.
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Hector Velazquez (7-2, 3.24) vs. RHP Mike Foltynewicz (10-9. 2.80)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM
LIVE BOX: MLB Gameday
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Bradley CF
Swihart RF
Benintendi LF
Moreland 1B
Phillips 2B
Devers 3B
Holt SS
Vazquez C
Velazquez P
BRAVES
Acuna LF
Inciarte CF
Markakis RF
Camargo 3B
Duda 1B
Albies 2B
Flowers C
Culberson SS
Foltynewicz P
NEWS AND NOTES
- Prior to today, Jackie Bradley Jr. has had just 15 at-bats in the leadoff spot in his career before today.
- Brock Holt has been chosen as the Red Sox nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award for his humanitarian work.
- Alex Cora had offered to give Mookie Betts a day off today earlier in the week, but with family in attendance, Betts told Cora he wanted to play all three games. But last night, Betts went to Cora in the seventh inning in the dugout and said he had changed his mind and could use the day. Blake Swihart is in right field in his place.
- In case you're wondering, Brandon Phillips is the first player in Red Sox history to wear the number "0.''