FINAL: Braves 9, Red Sox 3 - Olson goes deep in 4-run 1st inning

Nick Pivetta had a rough start — and likely put his future spot in the rotation in jeopardy with James Paxton making his debut Friday — as he allowed the first four batters to reach as he allowed four in the first, and that hole proved to big for a Sox offense that has cooled off the past two games.

The Red Sox were outhit 12-8, with Alex Verdugo (3 for 5) and Justin Turner (2 for 3) the only hitters with more than one hit. Masataka Yoshida's 16-game hitting streak came to an end, and Rafael Devers was among those who failed to post a hit against the NL's best team and starter Charlie Morton (6 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 7 Ks).

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WHO: Red Sox (21-15) at Braves (24-11)
WHEN: 7:20 p.m.
WHERE: Truist Park, Atlanta.
SERIES TO DATE: Braves won '22 series 3-1 (1-1 in Atlanta)
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nick Pivetta (2-2, 4.99) vs. RHP Charlie Morton (3-3, 3.38)
TV/RADIO: NESN/TBS; WEEI-FM 93.7 

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

1. Verdugo RF
2. Yoshida LF
3. Turner DH
4. Devers 3B
5. Duran CF
6. K. Hernández SS
7. Casas 1B
8. Valdez 2B
9. McGuire C

SP Nick Pivetta 

BRAVES

RF Acuña Jr.
1B Olson
3B Riley
C Murphy
LF Rosario
2B Albies
DH Ozuna
CF Harris II
SS Arcia

SP Charlie Morton

WHAT'S UP

James Paxton will make his Red Sox debut Friday night. Brayan Bello will start against the Braves to finish the road trip Paxton, Chris Sale and Corey Kluber will face the Cardinals over the weekend before Tanner Houck gets the nod for Monday’s series opener against Seattle.

The Red Sox are 16-7 (.696) in their last 23 games, dating back to 4/14...They are tied with TB for the best record in MLB in that span. During that span, they have averaged 6.0 runs/game (137 runs) on 10.1 hits/game (232 hits). ... Since 4/14, the Red Sox lead MLB in hits, AVG (.290), and OPS (.826). ... The Red Sox have won each of their last 3 series (2-1 vs. CLE, 4-0 vs. TOR, 2-1 vs. PHI). They are 6-1-0 in their last 7 series (8-3-0 overall). ... Kenley Jansen recorded his 399th career save Saturday at PHI...Only 6 pitchers in MLB history have reached 400 saves, most recently Francisco Rodriguez in 2016. ... Masataka Yoshida’s 16-game hitting streak is the longest active hitting streak in MLB and 3rd longest this season (Mauricio Dubón-20 games, Bryson Stott-17). ... Starting pitchers have lasted fewer than 4.0 innings in 11 starts vs. BOS this season, most in MLB...No other team has more than 7 such starts. ... The Red Sox are 3-3 in Pivetta's starts (3-1 in last 4). Allowed 6 ER on 4/15 vs. LAA, but has a 3.71 ERA in his other 5 starts (11 ER/26.2 IP). ... Ozuna has 4 career HRs vs. Pivetta. ...  RH Nick Pivetta has faced Atlanta 17 times in his career, including 14 starts, and is 6-3 with a 4.82 ERA (43 ER/80.1 IP) versus the Braves...Over his first eight games against Atlanta, all starts from 2017-18, he went 4-1 with a 2.72 ERA...In nine games since, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Canadian is 2-2 with a 7.23 ERA, allowing 30 earned runs in his last 37.1 innings against Atlanta. 

The Braves are just 2-8 versus the Red Sox at Truist Park since the facility opened in 2017, including losses in five of their last six...Boston's .800 winning percentage here is easily most of any visiting team to play at least 10 games. ...  RH Charlie Morton has made 13 career starts against Boston, going 7-1 with a 4.03 ERA (33 ER/73.2 IP)...The 6-foot-5, 235-pound righthander made one start against the Red Sox last season, allowing five runs over 6.0 innings in a no-decision...Morton's .875 winning percentage against Boston is best among active pitchers in baseball to make at least four starts vs. the Red Sox. ...  C Sean Murphy was named yesterday by MLB Network as the N.L. Player of the Week, the first weekly award of his career. Murphy hit .360 (9-for-25) with one double, three home runs and five runs during the week, with a majors-most 12 RBI. He reached base at a .515 clip. Boston's Masataka Yoshida, who Atlanta will see tonight, won the award for the A.L.