The Boston Red Sox walked off on a ninth inning Xander Bogaerts hit and took advantage of some bad Atlanta Braves defense in a 4-3 come-from-behind victory Thursday night at Fenway Park.
Making a play on a ball scalded by Bogaerts, Braves’ third baseman Chris Johnson threw wide of second baseman Tommy La Stella and Jackie Bradley came around to score and complete the comeback. This followed a two-run eighth inning rally keyed by multiple Atlanta defensive gaffes.
The Red Sox have now won four in a row, rounding out a sweep of the Braves in a home-and-home series to rebound from a season-high ten game lull.
The comeback redeemed Jake Peavy‘s eight inning effort, as the veteran righty allowed eight hits, a walk and three earned runs, striking out four. The Braves got their runs on a Jason Heyward dong, an Evan Gattis RBI single that scored Freddie Freeman after a controversial balk, and a Freeman RBI double in the eighth. With only two come-from-behind wins trailing after seven innings this season, the Sox looked sunk. Instead, the crowd at Fenway rocked to an improbable victory snatched from the jaws of defeat.
Koji Uehara (1-1) worked a spotless ninth, throwing eight of nine pitches for strikes. Craig Kimbrel (0-1) look the loss for Atlanta.
Bogaerts and Jeff Frye…I mean, Brock Holt led the way for the Sox with three hits apiece. A.J. Pierzynski also contributed two hits for Boston.
Brandon Workman (0-0, 3.18) takes the hill as the Red Sox welcome David Price (4-4, 4.42) and the rival Tampa Bay Rays to town Friday night at 7:10 pm.