Red Sox Comeback Vs. Braves ‘Reinforces’ Boston’s Capability

BOSTON — The Red Sox didn’t fold when in need of a late-game comeback in order to earn a series sweep over the Braves on Wednesday night.

Boston played up to its competition, making up for a slow five-inning-long start offensively in which it looked like the Red Sox would come up empty in the runs column. Playing catch-up down 3-0 to the Major League Baseball-best Braves, the Red Sox rallied and escaped with a 5-3 victory, encapsulating how the team’s fought to flip the switch all throughout July.

“I think really the way we’ve been playing all month kind of reinforces that we are a good baseball team,” Justin Turner said. “Starting pitching’s been outstanding, the bullpen’s been great for us. Even the offense finds ways to score and it’s not a one-trick pony. We’re not just relying on the homer, we’re finding ways to get on base, we’re staying in the zone, taking our walks, stealing bases, using the whole field. Going first to third. Doing a lot of things really well.”

Defeating a team after being shut out for five innings and trailing three runs to the hottest team in baseball is no easy feat. Boston needed to crush three homers, and receive a clutch two-RBI double from Turner in order to dodge a series split with Atlanta. All four extra-base hits from the Red Sox lineup also came after the fifth inning, too.

The victory pushed the Red Sox to 14-5 in July, earning Boston its fourth series sweep at Fenway Park this season.

Rafael Devers, who helped get Boston on the board with a solo round-tripper in the sixth inning, co-signed Turner’s sentiment. With the task for Boston evident, in the middle of a tight wild-card race in the American League, the Red Sox will need to keep the wheels in motion and stay on track moving forward.

“Coming back against a team that is one of the best in the league, of course, it gives us that extra confidence and we know that they were playing very good baseball since the start of the year and for us to be able to come back and win today is very difficult,” Devers explained through a Spanish translator. “We were playing, like we said, very good baseball the last few weeks. I know we started a little bit slow and struggled a little bit, but this is a great group. We’re getting along really well and we knew that it was a matter of time to get some wins and we’re starting to do it right now.”