Red Sox 7, Braves 6

 

This is what the world needed: the Red Sox dig their way back from a 5-0 hole for a 9th inning walk-off home run by Rafael Devers. With the win, the Sox break a four-game losing streak and get their first win since May 11.

After falling behind, 5-0, in the third, Jarren Duran hit a two-run homer to deep center. After the Braves scored again to make it 6-2, the Sox added two more runs with RBI base hits by Devers and Bregman in the seventh, and then Duran hit a 2-RBI single in the eighth to tie the game. Devers made it a "W" for Boston with his game-ending homer in the ninth. 

Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman (3-2, 2.12) got the win with his clutch pitching in the ninth. All six Atlanta runs were off starter Lucas Giolito, whose ERA is now 7.08. 

The Red Sox are back to within one win of .500 although still in second place, tied with the Blue Jays, and four games back from the Yankees, despite New York's loss today. The rubber match of this series is tomorrow at 1:35, with the reliable Brayan Bello (2-0, 2.33) starting against Spencer Schwellenbach (2-3, 3.31).

With the Celtics now out of the playoffs, it's going to be up to the Red Sox to carry the flag for our sporting interest over the next several months. The Celtics’ Conference Semifinal series was a disaster, starting with consecutive 20-point blown leads at home and then a blown 14-point lead in Game 4 on the road. Tatum's torn tendon might cost the Celtics two seasons and he will miss a consequential period of his career. The best player on possibly the NBA’s best team may miss not only a playoff run but much or all of his age-27 season. Without Tatum, the Celtics have a big void to fill and there aren’t that many options out there for them. The Celtics are facing some potentially significant roster decisions that could affect the team for years to come.

Meanwhile, we're a little over three months away from college football starting. The Georgia Bulldogs lost 13 players to the draft after last season and starting QB Gunnar Stockton, who has shown some encouraging signs, has started only one game. The Dawgs have added some receivers to make up for the draft losses but they still lack a proven offensive threat. Their running game finished 84th nationally last year in yards per carry (4.06), a significant drop from top-15 finishes in the previous three seasons. And let's not forget that the loathsome Florida Gators hold the lineal championship (aka, the Holy Moley Guacamole One True Belt, blessed be its name), a prize the Bulldogs want back (okay, a prize I want the Bulldogs to get back). 

The new reality is that our hopes and dreams are currently tied to a sub-.500 baseball team what has a lot of potential but also a recent history of coming up short. This summer, we'll follow the Sox and watch as the Celtics make their roster moves and player adjustments and wait for the August 30 Bulldogs season opener against the Marshall Thundering Herd.