After claiming a series-opening win in walk-off fashion, the Atlanta Braves look to continue their majors-best pace when they host the middle of three interleague games against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night.
The Braves have the right man on the mound as they look to follow up Friday’s 3-2, 10-inning victory, as right-hander Bryce Elder (4-1, 1.81 ERA) aims to continue a string of sparkling starts. The 27-year-old has allowed just three runs in his last 17 2/3 innings and now leads the National League in ERA.
Elder is coming off his third shutout start out of nine total this season. He allowed just one hit and struck out eight over 5 2/3 innings last Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Bryce is for real,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “This is a special roll that he’s on.”
The last two and six of Elder’s nine starts have been Braves’ victories.
Elder made his first career appearance and start against the Red Sox on June 1 of last season, allowing three runs on six hits across 5 1/3 innings.
A walk-off RBI double from Massachusetts native Mike Yastrzemski was the difference in Friday’s game, helping the Braves overcome losing a 2-0 lead after early solo homers by Drake Baldwin and Michael Harris II.
Atlanta’s 63 homers lead the National League.
Though Friday was not the most prolific showing for the best offense in baseball — just seven hits — it got the job done.
“It’s just gratifying. The hard work will eventually pay off,” Yastrzemski said after his heroics. “You’ve just got to keep fighting through it, trust the process, trust the hitting coaches, trust yourself, most importantly.”
Boston showed fight to climb out of its early deficit on Friday. Marcelo Mayer’s solo shot in the seventh inning tied the game.
However, there were opportunities for more.
Not only did interim manager Chad Tracy’s club go 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, but Mickey Gasper and Ceddanne Rafaela were both caught stealing after leading off back-to-back innings with hits against Braves starter Spencer Strider. Jarren Duran was also picked off.
“The big thing (Friday) was careless mistakes on the bases more than anything,” Tracy said.
Perhaps Mayer’s big swing can be a positive for the rest of the series.
“We’re all working really hard,” he said. “Obviously, a lot of guys aren’t where they want to be.”
The loss dropped Boston to 3-6 in one-run games this season. Two losses in an 11-game span have come in an extra frame.
Boston turns to young southpaw Payton Tolle (1-2, 2.78) in hopes of snapping a two-game skid. It will be his first career outing against Atlanta.
Tolle began May with a one-hit performance over seven innings against the Detroit Tigers but took a Sunday loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in which he allowed three runs on seven hits across five frames. He has lost two of his last three starts.
The Red Sox entered the series with a 2.56 ERA this month, which ranks second in the American League. They have allowed two or fewer earned runs in nine of their 13 games in May.
–Field Level Media
