Perez, Braves hand Boston 7th straight loss
BOSTON -- Rookie right-hander Williams Perez turned in a strong performance on Monday night at Fenway Park, leading the Braves to a 4-2 victory over the reeling Red Sox.
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After going 0-4 against Boston last year, Atlanta took the first of the four meetings (all this week) between the clubs this season. Perez (3-0, 2.29 ERA) gave up five hits and no runs over six innings, inducing the Red Sox into three double plays, while the bullpen surrendered two runs but held on for the win.
"He pitched great," Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons said. "Relief came in, did OK. Good team win. Manufactured some runs. Got some hits, got some big hits. It's good to go home with a win."
The Red Sox have lost seven in a row and are 27-38.
"We were fighting and played a tough game. We don't give at-bats away," said third baseman Pablo Sandoval. "We have to fight every single moment."
Rick Porcello (4-7, 5.29 ERA) took the loss, giving up six hits and four runs over 6 1/3 innings. The righty walked one and struck out five.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Twin killings frustrate Red Sox: Hoping to get off to a good start offensively, the Red Sox instead hit into three double plays in the first three innings, stifling their momentum. And in the bottom of the sixth, when Mookie Betts led off with a single, he got picked off first, thwarting another rally.
Video: ATL@BOS: Perez nabs Betts with pickoff throw to first
Winning Williams: Perez gave the Braves exactly what they hoped to see out of the converted reliever after pitching out of the bullpen two days earlier. The sinkerballer worked around traffic on the basepaths in five of his six innings, and he capped off his quality effort in the sixth by getting Hanley Ramirez to ground out and strand men on first and second. The offense supported his effort by scoring three runs during the fourth inning on four singles and a wild pitch.
"He pitched better than what we expected after pitching that save game on Saturday," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Coming in [on short rest] there and short here, pitching in Fenway against an American League team, I couldn't ask for anything more, really. But you know, we run him out there in different scenarios and he always rises to the occasion, because he's got pitchability. We needed that one." More >
Video: Must C Catch: Gomes lays out to make great catch
A familiar face: Back at Fenway for the first time since the Red Sox traded him away, Jonny Gomes reminded Boston fans that he can still navigate left field by laying out to make a commendable diving catch in the fourth inning. The play robbed Dustin Pedroia of a leadoff hit.
"Dive for it, you get the out," Gomes said. "Worst-case scenario, you dive for it, you got the wall right there so it's going to be a double. Or you just take the angle and give him the double. So it worked out." More >
Video: ATL@BOS: Porcello tosses glove as he exits the game
Porcello frustrated: Trying to help the Red Sox snap a six-game losing streak, Porcello gave up four runs or more for the third time in his last four starts. And when Porcello was removed from the game, he tossed his glove down the runway toward the Boston clubhouse.
"I was mad that I felt good, and at the end of the game, I ended up loading the bases with one out," said Porcello. "That's not good. In any situation when you've got bases loaded and one out, that's a tough situation to get out of. I was [mad] we were in that spot to begin with." More >
QUOTABLE
"That's awesome. I've been in a couple of organizations. I always thought that was cool when an opposing player comes back and you get that standing ovation. It's pretty cool when the fans appreciate." -- Gomes, on Red Sox fans cheering during his first at-bat
"What I said before the game is this team is not done by any means. Everybody else thinks that but the 25 guys in our locker room. You guys are allowed to think that, anybody's allowed to think that, but we don't care what you think. That's what I was trying to say. It's all 25 guys, we've got to find a way to do this together. We're down eight games. Who cares? We've got to show up tomorrow and win a game." -- Pedroia, on Boston's losing streak
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
It was milestone Monday for Pablo Sandoval, who notched his 200th career double in the seventh and his 1,000th hit in the ninth. Sandoval is hitting .387 with four doubles, a triple, a homer and six RBIs in his last eight games.
The Braves have turned 68 double plays this season, an average of more than one per game.
Video: ATL@BOS: Simmons awarded first after Braves challenge
UNDER FURTHER REVIEW
In the sixth inning, Simmons took a pitch to his right hand while squaring around to bunt. The Braves challenged the play, which was first called a foul ball. After one minute and nine seconds, the original ruling was overturned and Simmons took first base on a hit-by-pitch.
Simmons remained in the game and said postgame X-rays revealed no fractures in his hand.
"It's swelling. Makes it a little hard to grab. Hopefully by tomorrow after icing, it's good to go," Simmons said.
WHAT'S NEXT
Braves: Right-hander Julio Teheran gets the start for Atlanta at Fenway Park in the second of four games against the Red Sox. Teheran has struggled over his last four starts, posting a 6.57 ERA and 1.34 WHIP, but he will have the benefit of facing Boston for the first time when he takes the mound at 4:05 p.m. ET.
Red Sox: Lefty Wade Miley takes the ball for the first time since his controversial start last Thursday in Baltimore, when he got in a heated argument with manager John Farrell over his displeasure from being taken out of the game. Miley didn't pitch particularly well, giving up nine hits and five runs over four innings./p>
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