ATLANTA – Alex Verdugo broke the tie with a three-run homer connected to pitcher Chris Martin in the eighth inning and Rafael Devers had a three-run homer and a total of four RBIs for the Boston Red Sox to beat on Tuesday. 10-8 to the Atlanta Braves.
With his 13 homers, Xander Bogaerts made it 6-4 in the fifth inning and Boston increased his record to 36-4, the best in the major leagues, when he had at least four touchdowns. The Red Sox have won four of their last six games and are 41-27 overall.
“We go out, we love to play and we know we will answer questions throughout the season and in the right way,” said Boston manager Alex Cora. “We are not great, but we have a good baseball team and we keep improving.”
Devers, going 3-for-5, hit a double in the fifth and scored on Hunter Renfroe’s single for 7-4. Devers maintained his strength in the game as one of the 10 leaders of the majors in RBIs, extra-base hits, doubles, home runs, batting percentage and total bases.
With his ninth home run with two outs, Verdugo extended the lead to 10-7. Martin (0-3) gave up three runs and three hits.
Hirokazu Sawamura (3-0) was victorious after facing the minimum in the seventh. Matt Barners posted his 15th save in 18 chances after facing five opponents and allowing one run in the ninth inning.
The Red Sox took a 4-0 lead in the first against rookie Tucker Davidson on singles by Kike Hernandez and Verdugo, and Devers’ 16th homer. The homerun flew 435 feet through center field. Renfroe followed up with his eighth home run, the Red Sox’s second straight win.
For the Red Sox, Puerto Ricans Enrique Hernández 5-1, one scored, and Christian Vázquez 4-1. The Dominicans Rafael Devers 5-3, two scored, 4 RBIs, and Danny Santana one scored. Venezuelan Eduardo Rodríguez 2-0.
For the Braves, Venezuelans Ronald Acuña Jr. 5-2, one scored, two produced; William Contreras 4-0; Ehire Adrianza scored one, and Ender Inciarte 1-0. one annotated. Ozzie Albies from Curaçao 5-1. Dominican Abraham Almonte 3-1, two runs scored, one RBI. Cuban Guillermo Heredia 4-2, two runs scored, one RBI.
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