Nick Pivetta pitched five scoreless innings of relief and Masataka Yoshida homered to help the Boston Red Sox stretch their winning streak to three games with a 7-1 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night in the first half of a two-game series
Pivetta (7-5) limited the Braves to three hits, struck out five and walked one
Yoshida capped the scoring by hitting his 12th home run of the season in the eighth inning. Justin Turner, who reached on a walk, also scored on the homer.
Yoshida also had two singles in the win. It was his 10th three-hit game this season.
Rafael Devers added two hits for Boston, which has won eight of its last nine home games. The Red Sox improved their home record to 29-23
Orlando Arcia and Michael Harris II each collected two hits for the Braves, who had nine hits -- all singles -- in the loss
After a one-hour, 40-minute rain delay, the Braves grabbed a 1-0 lead when Sean Murphy's single off John Schreiber drove in Ozzie Albies in the top of the first. Schreiber was replaced by Pivetta after one inning
Boston took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first. Turner scored when Triston Casas drew a bases-loaded walk, and then Christian Arroyo's two-out single scored Devers.
The Red Sox added two runs in the fourth on RBI singles from Jarren Duran and Devers, and increased their lead to 5-1 when Yu Chang drove in Casas with a single in the fifth
Atlanta starter Charlie Morton (10-8) was pulled with two outs in the fourth. He gave up four runs on six hits, walked five and hit one batter. The damage could have been worse if the Braves didn't turn an 8-3-5 triple play in the third. It was the first triple play in the major leagues this season
--Field Level Media