Jackie Bradley Jr.’s solo homer blemished Julio Teheran’s best start of the season and provided Rick Porcello all the support he needed while helping the Red Sox claim a 1-0 win over the Braves on Monday night at Turner Field.
Bradley’s one-out homer in the seventh sunk Teheran, who notched a season-high eight strikeouts and scattered six hits over seven innings. Mookie Betts’ two-out double in the third inning accounted for one of the three hits recorded through the first six innings by the Red Sox, who didn’t arrive at their Atlanta hotel until 5:30 a.m. ET following Sunday’s 12-inning win in Houston.
Porcello (4-0, 3.51 ERA) scattered four hits over six scoreless innings and former Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel completed a scoreless ninth against the Braves, who have lost six straight since snapping their 0-9 start with a four-game winning streak.
One night after Bradley delivered the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the top of the 12th in a win at Houston, the center fielder again had the biggest hit in the game for the Red Sox. This time, Bradley jumped on Teheran’s 1-0 changeup for a solo shot. It was Bradley’s first home run of the season.
After his strong effort was marred by Bradley’s homer and further threatened by a Porcello bunt that was misplayed, Teheran recorded a four-pitch strikeout of Betts and then proved victorious in a 10-pitch battle waged against Xander Bogaerts with two outs and the bases loaded. Bogaerts fouled six pitches before Teheran concluded his 115-pitch night with three consecutive 92-mph fastballs, the last of which was lined into center fielder Mallex Smith’s glove to keep the Braves within one run.
Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez made a strong throw to nail Jace Peterson on a stolen base in the bottom of the fifth. It was significant for Vazquez because it was his first caught-stealing in his comeback from Tommy John surgery. Vazquez had only one chance before Peterson tested him. Vazquez’s throw was at 80.1 mph, according to Statcast™.
Jeff Francoeur’s one-out double accounted for Atlanta’s only extra-base hit and also fueled a seventh-inning rally that was quieted when Freddie Freeman was called out attempting to reach second base on a Drew Stubbs grounder that Dustin Pedroia initially bobbled. Replays showed Freeman got to the bag around the same time as Pedroia’s throw, but the Braves opted not to request a review, despite still having a challenge remaining.
Looking to help Freeman break out of his early-season funk, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez dropped his first baseman to the sixth spot, marking the first time since July 1, 2012, that Freeman was positioned lower than fifth in the batting order. Freeman laced a second-inning single and beat the shift with a fifth-inning bunt single that pushed his batting average (.203) above the Mendoza mark for the first time since Opening Day. He struck out to end the game, finishing with a .200 average.
Matt Wisler will take the mound for Atlanta during Tuesday night’s finale of this two-game set. Wisler threw a career-high 115 pitches while limiting the Dodgers to one unearned run over 6 2/3 innings on Thursday .
