By BRENDAN McGAIR Associated Press
Ronald Acuña Jr. hit his fourth career grand slam and Chris Sale struck out eight in five innings against his former team as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Boston Red Sox 10-2 on Thursday.
Acuña cleared the Green Monster after pinch-hitter Mike Yastrzemski – grandson of Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski – drew a bases-loaded walk to break a 2-all tie in the sixth inning. The five-time All-Star and 2023 NL MVP connected off reliever Greg Weissert for his third home run this season and first since April 24.
Sale (8-3) improved to 3-0 against the Red Sox since Boston traded its one-time ace to Atlanta before the 2024 season. The left-hander allowed two runs on six hits and walked three.
Michael Harris II launched a solo homer for Atlanta, which has the best record in the majors at 38-19. Ozzie Albies added a two-run shot in the ninth, his third hit of the day.
The last-place Red Sox (23-32) wrapped up a 1-5 homestand and fell to 9-19 at Fenway Park this season. Chants of “Sell the team!” broke out after Harris hit his 13th homer in the seventh.
Boston reliever Danny Coulombe (0-2) didn’t get an out in the sixth and was charged with three of the six runs the Braves scored in the inning.
Red Sox starter Payton Tolle struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings. Boston erased a 2-0 deficit in the fourth with an RBI double from Caleb Durbin and a run-scoring single by Jarren Duran.
Atlanta scored twice in the fourth. Jorge Mateo lined a shot that deflected off Tolle and went for an RBI single. Dominic Smith followed with a bloop single to shallow left field that scored Albies, who doubled earlier in the inning.
Before the game, Boston placed reliever Garrett Whitlock on the 15-day injured list with left knee inflammation and recalled left-hander Tyler Samaniego from Triple-A Worcester.
Up next
Braves: RHP Grant Holmes (3-2, 3.78 ERA) starts Friday night at Cincinnati in the opener of a three-game series.
Red Sox: Had not announced a scheduled starter for Friday in Cleveland against Guardians RHP Slade Cecconi (3-5, 5.18).
