Bedard: It was just one special night for Red Sox, but it makes you wonder what might be coming

Baseball, as we all know, is a long, hard slog.

There are 162 games and, at times, it feels like the season will never end. And these Red Sox have pushed the faithful's patience in recent years, even at some points early in this season.

So, yeah, it's extremely dangerous to put much stock into 1 of 162 with this outfit. You know that. I know that. But, still, it's part of baseball's allure that, occasionally, you come across a special night of baseball and you allow your mind to drift into wondering, what if?

Wednesday night in Atlanta was one of those nights, after the Red Sox beat the NL-best Braves 5-2 to split a quick two-game set.

Yes, certainly the opponent factors in and makes you wonder, "Could these teams possibly meet in the postseason?" Then you remember the standings in the AL East, but ... Boston just moved ahead of the Blue Jays and Yankees into third place — and they're a half-game up in the second wild-card spot.

Then the flashes of the game hit you, and you start to get a little juiced when you remember how well-played it was all the way around by both teams. Great pitching, some spectacular defense, good base running — and some clutch hitting (Kiké Hernández and Jarren Duran RBI singles, Ramiel Tapia pinch-hit RBI double, Triston Casas mammoth HR) from the Red Sox themselves to come out ahead. Oh, and the game took 2:43.

Starter Brayan Bello flashed some incredible stuff, getting the lineup that thrashed Nick Pivetta for seven runs, to swing and miss 18 times over his six innings of six-hit work. 

"His stuff was really good. It was really good. Velocity was up, the change it was playing, the slider was good, against a great lineup," Alex Cora told reporters. "I think with all the respect of everybody in the National League, I think that's the best team in the National League. I mean, from top to bottom, it's relentless. And their pitching staff is really good. They're managed by a great man, you know, they're always in it ... they're really good and to come here and split against them is good. And like I said, let's go home and take care of business."

The bullpen might have been even better as Josh Winckowski and Chris Martin combined to allow one hit and struck out four before turning it over to Kenley Jansen.

With former Dodgers teammates Hernandez and Turner in the infield, Jansen became the seventh player to record 400 saves — against his former team, the one he grew up rooting for because Andruw Jones was from his native Curacao. Not bad for a guy who started as a catcher in pro ball.

1. Mariano Rivera - 652
2. Trevor Hoffman - 601
3. Lee Smith - 478
4. Francisco Rodriguez - 437
5. John Franco - 424
6. Billy Wagner - 422
7. Kenley Jansen - 400

“It’s a testament to who he is,” Cora said. “He was a catcher and he’s the seventh reliever to get 400 saves. Shoot, he was throwing 99 (mph) today. I know it’s special to him.”

Jansen summed up the moment best.

“It can’t be better coming against the team I grew up watching, loving, and I did it today here in their stadium,” he said.

How can you not be romantic about baseball?

How can a game like that not make you think just a little bit about a possible fruitful summer and fall by the Olde Towne Team?

"It was a great baseball game," Cora said. "(Bello) was great. (Connor) Wong made a great play, threw him out at second, they scored two. We used everybody. (Turner) played great at third and then he had to stay in at second like I told him. Tapia with the big hit. We ran the bases well. Casas with the big hit with the homer. (Jarren) Duran was amazing. So, great win for us. Great road trip. And now we go home. We've got the Cardinals and the Mariners and let's keep playing good baseball."

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Jansen said Turner was a big help for him during their Dodgers days, and the utility man couldn't have been more proud of his friend.

"I went back and looked, I think, I've now seen about 300 of the 400 saves," Turner said. "So just knowing where he came from, knowing who he is, all the adversity that he's been through, the ups and downs, getting (written) off a couple times and just having the resiliency to keep going and keep working. I mean, shoot, you see what he's done so far this season, he has a lot left in the tank and couldn't be more proud of anyone.

"We've had a great relationship for a long time and you know, able to go and have tough conversations and pick him up when he needs to be picked up and he does the same thing for me. Just consider him a really good friend and, and care a lot about him and like I said, I couldn't be more proud of him. Celebrating with him after. Yeah, it was great."