Willson Contreras hits a 2-run homer in the 8th to lift the Red Sox past the Braves, 3-2

ATLANTA (AP) — Willson Contreras hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Saturday night.

Red Sox rookie left-hander Payton Tolle (2-2) gave up two runs over a season-high eight innings, allowing four hits and striking out three. The Red Sox are 15-1 when their starters pitch at least six innings.

Aroldis Chapman moved into a tie for 10th place with his 377th career save. He survived a throwing error with two outs and the bases empty by shortstop Andruw Monasterio, who was in for the injured Trevor Story.

Chapman walked Mauricio Dubón and Michael Harris II to load the bases. Ha-Seong Kim then hit a hard ground ball off Chapman, who scrambled off the mound and tossed the ball to first to end it.

Contreras’ home run came off Bryce Elder (4-2), who gave up seven hits in eight innings and and threw a season-high 103 pitches. Contreras knocked in Wilyer Abreu, who doubled with two outs. Abreu was 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Masataka Yoshida’s sacrifice fly scored Mickey Gasper for the Red Sox’s first run in the fourth inning.

Drake Baldwin was 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs for the Braves. He led off the game with a home run for the second consecutive day, with this one traveling 421 feet over the center field wall. Baldwin’s two-out single in the fifth inning scored José Azócar from second base to break a 1-1 tie.

Up next

Braves RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 4.35 ERA) was set to start Sunday against RHP Brayan Bello (2-4, 6.46) in the series finale.

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