Christian Arroyo has hit some big homeruns for the Boston Red Sox in last seven days. On Wednesday night he did it again, this time was a game winning pinch hit grand slam in the seventh inning to lead his team to a 10-8 win over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
Boston (42-27) had an early 2-0 lead on a two-run single by Hunter Renfoe in the top of the first inning. A sacrifice fly for an RBI by Atlanta in the third cut the deficit in half, before Bobby Dalbec had an RBI single and Garrett Richards tried to help his own cause with an RBI double to make it 4-1 Sox in the fourth. After the Braves came right back to again make it a one run game in the bottom of the fourth with a pair, the lead went back to three for the visitors when Xander Bogaerts doubled in a run and Rafael Devers singled in another in the fifth for a 6-3 advantage. Richards gave it back though when Dansby Swanson hit a three-run homer to left in the bottom half of the fifth to even the score. Atlanta (30-35) took their first lead 7-6 when Freddie Freeman hit a solo homerun off Boston reliever Hirokazu Sawumara in the sixth. That set the stage for Arroyo in the seventh. Xander Bogaerts led off with a double, and then Devers walked. Renfoe popped out, but then Christian Vazquez walked to load the bases, before Dalbec struck out swinging for the second out. The Braves brought on reliever AJ Minter, and the Sox brought Arroyo into the box to hit for Danny Santana. Arroyo took a 2-1 offering from the left hander deep over the left field wall for the game winning grand slam, that traveled an estimated 467 feet.
Yacksel Rios (1-0) picked up the win in relief of Richards. Richards allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4.0 innings. Brandon Workman, Darwinzon Hernandez, and Josh Taylor all got a hold in the game while Adam Ottavino earned his fourth save. Bogaerts had three hits, while Renfoe and JD Martinez had two a piece. Ronald Acuna Jr. had three hits for Atlanta in the loss, while four other players had two hits each. Shane Greene (0-1) took the pitching defeat in relief of starter Ian Anderson. Boston finally gets an off day on Thursday after playing 17 straight days. The Sox will start a three game series in Kansas City against the Royals on Friday night and will send RHP Nick Pivetta (6-2, 4.28 ERA) to the mound in the opener.
