Rick Porcello did it again.
The Red Sox right-handed pitcher improved his record to 4-0 with another strong outing in Boston’s 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on Monday night.
There wasn’t much offense in this one, but Jackie Bradley Jr.’s solo home run in the seventh inning was all the Red Sox needed.
Here’s how Monday’s game unfolded.
GAME IN A WORD
Efficient.
The Red Sox played for what seemed like forever Sunday night in their five-plus hour win over the Houston Astros, but they played a more normal three-hour contest Monday against the Braves.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Bradley Jr. launched a home run to right field in the top of the seventh inning.
That homer was all the offense the Red Sox needed in their road win over the Braves.
ON THE BUMP
–Porcello continued to pitch well for the Red Sox.
The right-hander tossed 6 1/3 innings of shutout baseball before being pulled in the seventh inning after allowing a double to Jeff Francoeur and a walk to Freddie Freeman. Porcello allowed four hits and two walks while striking out six batters during his impressive outing.
Porcello’s best stretch came when he retired eight consecutive batters entering the fifth inning. He threw 98 pitches, 69 of which were strikes, before Robbie Ross Jr. replaced him.
–Ross Jr. pulled the Red Sox out of trouble in the seventh with a Drew Stubbs groundout and a strikeout of Erick Aybar.
–Koji Uehara continued the Red Sox’s pitching dominance in the eighth with a strikeout in his scoreless inning of work.
–Less than 24 hours after blowing a save against the Astros, Craig Kimbrel returned to the mound in the ninth inning against his former team. He rebounded nicely against the Braves, as he earned a save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
–The Red Sox’s offense finally got to Teheran in the top of the seventh inning.
Bradley Jr. produced the game’s first run with his home run to right field. It was Bradley Jr.’s first homer of the season after belting 10 during the 2015 campaign.
Boston had a chance to score some insurance runs after loading the bases on a Christian Vazquez double, Porcello bunt single and Dustin Pedroia walk, but Xander Bogaerts flied out to center field on the 10th pitch of his at-bat to end the threat.
–Mookie Betts’ double in the top of the third inning also was the Red Sox’s first hit of the night.
–Josh Rutledge continued to hit well since his call up to the big leagues with a single in the fourth inning. Bogaerts also had a single.
–The Braves showed a glimpse of why they are expected to be one of the worst teams in baseball this season with a pair of errors, one of which came with Porcello at the plate.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
This is quite the stat, via MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox close out the road portion of their home-and-home series with the Braves on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET. David Price will start for Boston, while Matt Wisler will be on the mound for Atlanta. The teams then will travel to Boston for two more games at Fenway Park.
Thumbnail photo via Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports Images
