After blowing a five-run lead and committing three errors in one of their sloppiest games of the season, the Red Sox snapped awake in the eighth inning as Alex Verdugo belted a three-run homer to break a tie and deliver a 10-7 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
The Sox raced to a quick lead thanks to a three-run homer from Rafael Devers in the first for starter Eduardo Rodriguez, but Rodriguez, who last won on May 7, couldn't protect a 5-0 lead and was gone after four.
The Braves later erased a three-run lead in the sixth when the Sox committed a couple of errors to aid the Braves' comeback.
But Verdugo rescued the Sox with his ninth homer and Matt Barnes, who had blown his last two save opportunities, nailed this one down in the ninth.
WHO: Red Sox (40-27 ) vs. Atlanta Braves (30-33)
WHEN: 7:20 p.m.
WHERE: Truist Park, Atlanta
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: 1-1
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-4, 6.03) vs. LHP Tucker Davidson (0-0, 1.53)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Hernandez 2B
Verdugo CF
Martinez LF
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Renfroe RF
Vazquez C
Dalbec 1B
Rodriguez P
BRAVES
Acuna Jr. RF
Freeman 1B
Albies 2B
Riley 3B
Swanson SS
Almonte LF
Contreras C
Herredia CF
Davidson P
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
T8: Alex Verdugo has been part of every big late-inning rally in the last five days. He delivered the walk-off single last Friday, started the Monday night rally in the ninth, and here, cranks a changeup over the fence in LCF for a three-run homer, snapping a 7-7 tie.
B6: Very sloppy inning from the Red Sox - a leadoff walk with a three-run lead, an error by Kike Hernandez, a single that snakes through the infield and a throwing error by Renfoe results in a run and the bases loaded.
T6: Red Sox put the first two on with consecutive singles -- including a flare to left by Garrett Whitlock, the first hit by a Red Sox pitcher since 2019 -- but can get a run out of it.
T5: Red Sox having no trouble connecting against Edgar Santana, with a double from Devers and a bloop single from Hunter Renfroe producing another run.
T5: Xander Bogaerts cracks a mammoth solo shot into the second deck to get one of runs back.
B4: Rodriguez had gotten Acuna Jr. the first two times, but not here -- hard-hit double that makes it all the way to the left-center gap, scoring two.
B4: Consecutive doubles for the Braves -- Dansby Swanson and Abraham Almonte -- result in a run for the Braves.
B3: Rodriguez challenges Ronald Acuna with a couple of fastballs after falling behind 3-and-0 -- and wins, striking him out for the second time.
T3: Sox keep swinging it, with a triple off Tucker Davidson, who leaves after a walk to Xander Bogaerts with left forearm tightness.. Lefty Sean Newcomb comes in a promptly allows a run-scoring single to Devers.
B1: Eduardo Rodriguez fans the side, showing a lively fastball, though it takes 22 pitches to get through the inning.
T1: Red Sox go back-to-back for the fifth time this season, crushing a fastball deep into the left field seats.
T1: Rafael Devers gets a slider over the heart of the plate and drills it to deep center for a three-run homer. That's four RBI in his last two at-bats, dating back to his walk-off single in the ninth Monday night.
WHAT'S UP: : The Red Sox have won three of their last five games and are 8-4 in their last 12 games....The Sox had their third walk-off win of 2021, their second in the 4-game series vs. TOR. They also walked off the Rays on April 6...It was also the 23rd comeback win of the season....The Sox enter Tuesday night with the fourth-best record in the American League...The Red Sox are 8-2 vs. NL teams this season and are 271-182 (.598) all time against the NL, the highest Interleague winning percentage in the majors. The Red Sox are 7-0-1 in their last 8 series in Atlanta, dating back to 2006...They are 17-4 with a +58 run differential in those games (123-65)...Red Sox pitchers are hitless in their last 32 PA (0-for-29, BB, 2 SH)...Their last hit came on 4/6/19 at Arizona with a David Price single...In 2021, they are 0-for-11 with 1 BB and 8 SO....The Sox lead the majors in doubles (144) and extra-base hits (231)...They rank fifth in slugging (.430). Eduardo Rodriguez is 0-4 with a 8.49 ERA and .331 AVG over his last 6 starts,,,Was 5-0 with a 3.82 ERA and .260 opponent AVG in his first six starts this season, but is winless over his last six starts, last winning May 7 in Baltimore...That ties him for the third-longest career stretch without a win...He's lost a career-high four consecutive starts from May 12-31....The Red Sox are an MLB-best 35-4 (.897) when scoring four or more runs...Guillermo Heredia is 4-for-20 with a homer lifetime against Rodriguez....LHP Josh Taylor extended his scoreless streak Monday to a career-best 14.0 IP over 18 games. Has made a career-best 18 straight scoreless appearances (14.0 IP, 4 BB, 18 SO, .149 AVG, 7-for-47, 0.79 WHIP) since April 30 which has lowered his season ERA from 9.72 on April 24 to 3.63; has also stranded 11 of his 13 inherited runners in that span. His 18 consecutive scoreless outings is the longest active streak in the majors and the 2nd-longest of 2021....J.D. Martinez has a five-game hitting streak.
NOTES:
* Alex Cora reacted to MLB's policy on enhanced enforcement of foreign substances, detailed in a memo that was sent to teams Tuesday. "They've done as amazing job collecting information, watching video and doing the research. There's a reason they're doing it. There's a few things still, players have questions. Over the week, we're going to be able to get clarification on a few things -- the timing of it, when they're going to check pitchers. Is it after their outing or during? I had a meeting with (fellow managers) with Mike Hill and Theo (Epstein from MLB). Mike was very open about it and answered a few things. It's pretty clear. This is one of those topics, right now it's loud. Everybody's talking about it, but hopefully after a week or two week it's enforced and we can talk only about the game and forget about sticky stuff and this and that.'' Cora said he met with the pitchers today and will have another meeting with the entire roster in Kansas City this weekend, prior to the start of enforcement Monday.
* Cora was also forthright about conveying what comes from being suspended. "I come from a suspension,'' he said. "And I know how embarrassing that is, not only on you as a person, but your family and friends and the people that love you. Ten games, a year, two years...it doesn't matter. Being suspended is hell and you don't want to go through that. I was very open to them and hopefully they understand that.''
* Tanner Houck, who was sidelined earlier this season with a sore flexor tendon, will make a start for Worcester Thursday as part of his rehab.
* Chris Sale joined Worcester Tuesday and threw a bullpen. "He keeps feeling better,'' said Cora. "Little by little, he's becoming a big leaguer again.''