Ozzie Albies had the game winning fielders choice RBI in the third inning, and Charlie Morton pitched a very solid game on Tuesday night as the Atlanta Braves took the first of a short two game series with a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Boston (29-20) had a golden opportunity to put up some runs over the first two innings. Enrique ‘Kike’ Hernandez led off the bottom of the first with a single, Alex Verdugo walked, and JD Martinez reached on an error to load the bases with noone out. After Xander Bogaerts struck out, Rafael Devers was hit with a pitch to force in the first run of the game. Christian Vazquez lined into a double play to leave two runners stranded. With the score still 1-0 Sox in the bottom of the second, Danny Santana led off with a triple down the right field line and Hunter Renfoe walked. Bobby Dalbec then struck out, and Hernanez grounded into a double play. Marcell Ozuna tied it with a double off the wall in center field in the third. With two runners in scoring position with one out in the same inning, Albies hit a groundball into the shift at second where the second baseman Hernandez cut down Ozuna at third. On the play though Freddie Freeman would score to make it 2-1 Braves. Ronald Acuna, Jr. added some insurance with an RBI double in the sixth to help his team win their fourth straight game.
Morton (3-2) did the rest getting the win on the mound for Atlanta (24-24). He retired Boston in order in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh inning. The Sox last hit was with two outs in the third, and didn’t have a baserunner again until Verdugo drew a two out walk in the eighth against reliever Edgar Santana. Morton allowed one run (none earned) on three hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Santana got his third hold, and Will Smith worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save. Pablo Sandoval had three hits, and Freeman had two. Garrett Richards (4-3) took the pitching loss allowing three runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts in 5.2 innings. The hosts were held to three hits on the night in their second straight loss. The teams finish the abbreviated series Wednesday night with RHP Nick Pivetta (5-0, 3.59 ERA) going for Boston, and LHP Drew Smyly (2-2, 5.11) toeing the rubber for Atlanta.
