Braves 7, Red Sox 6

 

Well, at least it was close, but it's now four straight losses (and counting) for the third time this season. 

It all started so good. The first two batters on the first inning, Duran and Rafaela, both hit solo homers to give the Sox an early 2-0 lead. Suarez gave up a two-run homer in the fourth to let the Braves tie the game and gave up another run in the sixth for an Atlanta lead. Weissert came on that inning with two on and no outs and brought both base runners home before ending the inning at 5-2, Atlanta. 

Boston got to within 5-4 until Guerrero gave up a two-run homer in the eighth. The Sox managed to scrape together two more runs in the bottom of the ninth to get to within one run of the Braves, but ended up with a final score of 7-5, Atlanta. 

Boston (22-31) is now two full games back from the fourth-place Orioles, and 12½ back from Tampa Bay in the AL East. While they were recently two games back in the Wild Card standings, they're now four back.

Connelly Early (4-2, 3.33), who got six strikeouts against the Braves back in a losing effort on May 15, starts tonight. He'll be facing Bryce Elder (4-2, 1.97) who gave up three runs, including a two-run Contreras homer, in the Sox only win this season against the Braves on the 16th. 

Friendly reminder that the Braves don't actually play in Atlanta. Their current home, Truist Park, is actually out in suburban Smyrna, Georgia, where their racist fans can go to see a game while encountering fewer negroes than at the former downtown Atlanta Turner Field. Fuck them both, both the team and their fans.