If Only The Red Sox Could Play the Braves Every Week, They'd Be in Great Shape

I get that it was a small sample size and any team can have a bad series or week (ahem) but I still can't believe that Atlanta came into Monday's opener vs. Boston seven games over .500. The Braves' record (28-25 overall, 10-13 away) took a nose dive though as they lost two at Turner Field then came to Boston and promptly lost two more at Fenway Park. The Red Sox (24-29 overall, 12-17 home) wrapped up this strange four-game/two-city set with their fourth straight victory, 4-3.

Atlanta made three errors in the last two innings so it was only fitting that this ended with a walk-off error on second baseman Tommy La Stella who couldn't handle Chris Johnson's throw from third base (that wasn't that difficult at all). The ball skipped away, allowing Jackie Bradley Jr. to come around from second with the winning run after Xander Bogaerts (3 for 5, run, RBI, double) got a good piece of Craig Kimbrel's (0-1) pitch and grounded it sharply to third.

Before yesterday, the Red Sox hadn't won three consecutive games this season so it's nice to see them finally start to find their way. As usual, starting pitching has been the key as Jake Peavy went eight innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk. From there, Koji Uehara (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his first win of 2014.

I'm not Mike Minor (7 innings, 1 earned run, 7 hits, 3 strikeouts, 0 walks) but this was one that Atlanta truly choked away since they led 3-1 in the eighth after Freddie Freeman's RBI double. Setup man David Carpenter was charged with a pair of runs in the eighth on RBI singles by Bogaerts and A.J. Pierzynski (2 for 4). Kimbrel is normally the best closer in the National League but he hadn't worked in a while so the rust showed as he came on with two outs in the eighth and retired David Ross with the bases loaded but then couldn't get anyone out in the ninth.

Jason Heyward (2 for 5) handed the Braves a 1-0 lead in the third with a solo homer then Evan Gattis made it 2-0 with an RBI single in the fourth. Brock Holt (3 for 4, run, walk) cut it to 2-1 with an RBI double in the fifth that scored Ross.

For the second weekend in a row, the Red Sox square off with the Rays (23-31, 5th in AL East). The good news for Boston is that they can't possibly do any worse over these next three games at Fenway as they did last weekend (3-game sweep at Tropicana Field). Brandon Workman (0-0) faces David Price (4-4) tomorrow night (7:10, NESN), Rubby De La Rosa makes his 2014 Red Sox debut on Saturday night (7:15, Fox) vs. Jake Odorizzi (2-4) and Jon Lester (5-6) looks to bounce back on Sunday afternoon (1:35, NESN) vs. Erik Bedard (2-3).

Boston is 1.5 games ahead of Tampa Bay who come into town having lost three in a row. A good weekend by the Red Sox would push the Rays further back into last-place, where it looks like they'll remain all season in the mediocre AL East.

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Red Sox Beat Braves 9-4 To Take The Series 2-1 & Finish 11-7 During Interleague Play In 2012

Obviously Kevin Youkilis's trade to the White Sox overshadowed what happened at Fenway Park this afternoon but I'll get to that in a subsequent post.

For now, let's take a minute to recognize another interleague series win for the Red Sox (38-34, 19-20 home) who moved a season-high four games over .500 with a 9-4 over the Atlanta Braves (38-34, 23-17 away).

Boston enjoyed its interleague experience in 2012 since they finished 11-7 against mostly National League East teams and the Cubs who more closely resemble a Triple A squad if I'm being generous. They won five out of six series 2-1 (plus a three-game sweep in Miami) while the Nationals (three-game sweep at Fenway) were the only team to beat them decidedly. It was the eighth straight season that the Red Sox have been over .500 against NL teams so don't tell me the National League is better because it's not.

Today's stars were Aaron Cook and Cody Ross. Cook (1-1) subbed for Clay Buchholz and picked up his first win in a Red Sox uniform after five innings, three runs (two earned) and six hits with no strikeouts and no walks. Ross had a three-run homer and a two-run homer.

Braves starter Mike Minor (3-6) didn't have much and an error on shortstop Andrelton Simmons led to three unearned runs. Minor went 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He also served up three home runs which never helps your pitching numbers.

The Red Sox offense got off to an exciting start as Ross (10th of the season) and Adrian Gonzalez (6th of the season) hit back-to-back homers in the fourth to give Boston a 4-0 lead. Ross's came with two runners on base.

Tatted up old friend Eric Hinske (2 hits, run) had a two-run triple in the fifth and Juan Francisco's groundout cut it to 4-3.

Boston responded right away to push the lead back to a comfortable four-run advantage (7-3) after five. Will Middlebrooks scored a run with a sacrifice fly and Ross hit another homer over the Monster, this time a two-run blast.

Jason Heyward's (3 hits, 2 runs) career seems to be back on track as he crushed a solo homer to center (his 11th of the season) in the sixth to trim it to 7-4.

Daniel Nava (2 hits, run) came through with an RBI double in the sixth and in his last at bat as a member of the Red Sox, Youk drove in Gonzalez with a generously scored "triple."

With interleague over, the Red Sox get back to facing the boring old American League. The Toronto Blue Jays (37-35, 5th place in AL East) visit Fenway starting tomorrow night for a three-game series. The teams have already played two series in Toronto with Boston going 3-3 thus far.

Felix Doubront (8-3) faces Henderson Alvarez (3-6) tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN), Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-2) gets Aaron Laffey (0-0) on Tuesday night (7:10 p.m., NESN) and Jon Lester (4-5) opposes Ricky Romero (8-1) on Wednesday afternoon (1:35 p.m., NESN) in the series finale and last game of a nine-game homestand for the Red Sox before they head to the west coast.

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Jair Jurrjens Stifles Red Sox, Braves Snap Boston's 5-Game Win Streak

Jair Jurrjens returned from the DL to throw a gem and snap Boston's five-game win streak while he was at it.

Atlanta (38-32, 23-15 away) opened its last interleague series at Fenway Park with a 4-1 win tonight against Boston (36-34, 17-20) after a one hour and 28 minute rain delay.

Jurrjens (1-2) went 7.2 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

Will Middlebrooks (starting for the second consecutive game thank you very much) doubled and scored on Daniel Nava's double in the eighth for the Red Sox' only run. Chad Durbin came in for Jurrjens and retired Dustin Pedroia (the potential tying run) to end the inning.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel got a 1-2-3 ninth with a strikeout to record his 21st save of the season.

In what has been a poor first half for him, Jon Lester (4-5) couldn't get the job done yet again. He went seven innings but allowed three earned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

Atlanta scored twice in the fourth on Matt Diaz's groundout and Andrelton Simmons' RBI double.

Simmons added a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Freddie Freeman (2 hits) provided an insurance run with an RBI single in the ninth.

Martin Prado and Jason Heyward (2 runs) each had three hits for the Braves while Brian McCann had two.

Franklin Morales (0-1) gets his second start for Boston tomorrow night (7:15 p.m., Fox), against Randall Delgado (4-7).

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