All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 8-2 win over the Braves, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Houck keeps it going: One good start might have been a fluke. Two might be a novelty. But now that Tanner Houck has turned in three outstanding outings in his first three major league starts -- all against playoff-bound teams -- it time to really take notice. Having begun his major league career without allowing an earned run in his first 15 innings, Houck's streak ended when he surrendered a solo homer by Dansby Swanson to lead off the fifth. But that was about the only mistake he made while going six innings, giving up just three hits and striking out 10. More than he did in his first two starts, Houck relied heavily on his four-seam fastball, having noted that the Braves are an aggressive team who prefer the ball down in the zone. Beyond the execution of his game plan, for Houck, it's all about confidence. "It all comes down to how you present yourself,'' he said. "If you treat it like a bigger moment than it is, then I think you'll fall into a pattern where, 'I've got to do this, I've got to do that.' But you just have to settle down, realize I got here for a reason and my stuff's good enough and just go out there and execute.''
Vazquez finishing strong: The Red Sox catcher began the season on a hot streak, with four homers and eight RBI in his first five games. Now, as the season winds down, he's hot again. As part of the Red Sox' eight-run second, Vazquez hit a grand slam. He later added a single and a double for a three-hit night. That was in keeping with the way he's hit since earlier this month. Before Saturday, Vazquez had slashed .327/.400/.510 in his previous 12 games. "You look up at his average and there's not too many catchers who hit .280,'' said Ron Roenicke. "We know he's got power. I don't know how to rank this season, but this guy's had another offensive year.''
Roenicke survives scare: In the ninth inning, manager Ron Roenicke tried to get out of the way of a hard-hit foul ball off the bat by Vazquez. In an effort to dodge the ball, Roenicke twisted, then lost his balance and fell backward. "Not the most coordinated move to get out of the way,'' said Roenicke sheepishly. "It was a bullet at me and I tried to spin out of the way of it and I must have tried to step down and I had gone over the step, so there was nothing there and I spun and landed on my back on the corner of the bench. I'm pretty sore, but I'm OK.'' Bench coach Jerry Narron, one of Roenicke's closest friends, looked at the manager and said: "2020.'' "I said, 'yup,' '' cracked Roenicke, who was attended to by the training staff, but remained in the dugout for the remainder of the inning.
TURNING POINT
The Sox were comfortably ahead 8-0 in the fourth inning, but Houck again demonstrated his calm demeanor after issuing back-to-back walks to Freddie Freeman and Marcell Ozuna,. Two baserunners and no outs didn't seem to faze Houck however, who came back to strike out the next two hitters before ending the inning by inducing a groundout to short by Adam Duvall.
ONE UP
Bobby Dalbec: Dalbec cracked his eighth homer in 22 games and continues to look like a terrific power-hitting prospect.
ONE DOWN
Rafael Devers: Devers didn't have any issues in the field -- for a change -- but he was 0-for-5 at the plate with three strikeouts.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"It's better than I could have written it myself, for sure.'' Tanner Houck, 3-0 in his first three major league starts.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The eight runs in the second were a season-high for the Red Sox in a single inning.
- Alex Verdugo was 0-for-4 and is ending his season with an 0-for-15 slump.
- With the win, the Red Sox avoided the possibility of being swept in a season series of more than three games. It's happened only once in their history -- going 0-6 against the Angels in 2012.