The Braves enjoyed a .500 record for all of one day, falling to the Red Sox 9-4 in a rain-soaked finale that saw Boston score seven unanswered runs just before the tarp was rolled out. The teams convened after a lengthy delay, only to see Boston tack on two more before closing things out.
Atlanta jumped out to an early lead against Red Sox right-hander Nick Pivetta, scoring two runs in the first inning as Ozzie Albies tripled home Freddie Freeman and later scored on a Dansby Swanson double. Atlanta added another run in the second as William Contreras drove home Guillermo Heredia on a sacrifice fly, staking the Braves to a quick 3-0 lead.
The Red Sox scored their first run in the bottom of the second, as Hunter Renfroe blasted a solo homer to left field off Braves starter Drew Smyly. Boston would tie the game two innings later on a Rafael Devers two-run homer, evening the score at 3-3.
The Braves quickly regained the lead in the fifth inning on an Austin Riley solo homer to left field that left the bat at 110 MPH. This was the seventh home run in nine games for Riley, who has taken hold of a prominent spot in the Atlanta lineup. He continues to crush the ball, which will be a much-needed element for the Braves offense in the absence of Marcell Ozuna.
If the rain had arrived at this point, it may have saved the Braves from a total collapse. Unfortunately, the rain held off long enough to allow the Red Sox to score four runs in the sixth inning and take a 7-4 lead. All seven runs were charged to starter Drew Smyly, who allowed some very loud contact in the inning. This poor outing ends a solid string of work for the left-hander in May, pushing him to a 5.95 ERA for the season.
Atlanta was given a shot at redemption following a near three hour rain delay, but the Boston bullpen was able to slam the door. Grant Dayton was less fortunate, allowing two runs in the eighth inning to push the Braves deficit to 9-4. William Contreras blasted a solo homer in the ninth, making the score 9-5.
The Braves now head to New York with an eye toward catching the first-place Mets. Injuries have ravaged both rosters, but Atlanta does have a health advantage between the two lineups. Hopefully the Braves can sustain their offensive success and find a way to push past the .500 mark in the near future.
