By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Freeman homers to end drought in Atlanta Braves' 9-4 loss to Boston Red Sox
0428Braves
Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman scores off a single by teammate Jeff Francoeur in the fourth inning of Tuesday's game against the Boston Red Sox in Atlanta. - photo by David Goldman

BOSTON — Dustin Pedroia had a grand slam and a solo homer, David Ortiz passed two Hall of Fame Red Sox on the extra-base hits list and Boston beat Atlanta 9-4 on Wednesday night even as the Braves ended their 15-game homerless stretch.

The Red Sox won their fourth straight and third against the Braves, the first two coming at Turner Field.

The 40-year-old Ortiz had three doubles and drove in two runs, giving him 1,119 extra-base hits to tie Hall of Famer George Brett for 16th career. On the second double, he passed Boston greats Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx.

Freddie Freeman homered for Atlanta to end the drought. It was the longest for the franchise since the Boston Braves went 16 games without a long ball in 1946.

Knuckleballer Steven Wright (2-2) allowed two runs — one earned — on three hits in seven innings, striking out eight with three walks.

The Red Sox jumped ahead 2-0 in the first against Bud Norris (1-4). Ortiz had an RBI double and scored on Hanley Ramirez’s single.

After the Braves scored a run in the top of the second, Boston broke it open on Pedroia’s slam in the bottom half. After loading the bases with two singles and a walk, Pedroia hit a slicing fly ball that caromed high off the Pesky Pole, making it 6-1. His solo shot barely cleared the Green Monster in the eighth.

Norris got just four outs, giving up six runs on seven hits.

In the fourth, Ortiz hit his second RBI double and scored on Travis Shaw’s stand-up triple.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: Recalled RHP John Gant from Triple-A Gwinnett and optioned RHP Ryan Weber. Gant started and gave up two runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Red Sox: RHP Joe Kelly (15-day DL, right shoulder impingement) threw from 120 feet. … Reliever Carson Smith, out since the start of the season with a strained right flexor muscle, is expected to work two games with Double-A Portland and could be activated next week.

POWER SHORTAGE

It was just Atlanta’s fourth homer this season.

Entering Wednesday, 60 players in the majors had more homers than the Braves’ total, and 102 had at least three.

UP NEXT

Braves: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 3.18 ERA) is set to start Thursday night against Boston. He’s allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his three starts.

Red Sox: RHP Clay Buchholz (0-2, 6.33) looks for his first win of the season. He was tagged for five runs in 5 2/3 innings in a loss at Houston on Saturday.

Friends to Follow social media