Braves aim to stay hot in rematch vs. Red Sox

The visiting Atlanta Braves will look to continue a remarkable early-season turnaround on Saturday night when they continue a three-game weekend series against the Boston Red Sox.

After starting 0-7 in March and April, a 4-2 win in Friday’s series opener moved the Braves (23-22) above the .500 mark for the first time this season. They have won four of their past five games and nine of 13.

The calendar only reads mid-May, but Atlanta manager Brian Snitker sees his team’s performance as an important milestone.

“I think it’s just a testament to the guys, man, how they never quit,” Snitker said. “They never stopped just doing their jobs, and coming into work and preparing and playing the game the right way. It’s good. It’s not a big deal, but it kind of is.”

Solo home runs by Matt Olson and Sean Murphy on Friday were held up by seven innings of one-run ball from former Boston left-hander Chris Sale, who struck out eight.

The Red Sox became the first team to face reigning American and National League Cy Young Award winners in back-to-back games. They encountered Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal on Wednesday but lost 6-5.

Atlanta right-hander Grant Holmes (2-3, 4.14 ERA) is scheduled to make his first career start against the Red Sox on Saturday and enters looking to break a streak of four consecutive winless outings. His most recent victory was April 20 against the Minnesota Twins, 6-2.

In his last start, Holmes did not factor into the decision Monday against the Washington Nationals despite working 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball. The Braves wound up posting a 4-3, walk-off win.

For Holmes the last time out, it was his third quality start. The strong pitching has, of course, been crucial to the team’s turnaround.

“It wasn’t gonna happen overnight,” third baseman Austin Riley said earlier this week, as the Braves were claiming a four-game series win over Washington. “We were gonna take it day by day.”

Now two games below .500, the Red Sox enter Saturday looking to snap their second four-game losing streak of the season. Friday marked their 14th game of scoring two runs or less.

Boston was limited to six hits Friday, including two from both Jarren Duran and Nick Sogard. The Red Sox also scored just one run — a Rob Refsnyder solo shot — until the ninth inning.

“Just have to slow it down,” Boston third baseman Alex Bregman said. “We didn’t execute (on Friday), but we’re going to get back to the drawing board, come ready to prepare and get after it. … The best part about baseball is tomorrow.”

Manager Alex Cora agreed. Three runners being erased on the bases did not help.

“When you go through weeks like this, right, you don’t have to push the envelope. It’s the other way around,” Cora said. “I don’t think we (slowed it down on Friday).”

After being shelved with a left hamstring strain that delayed his Red Sox debut until April 30, Lucas Giolito (1-1, 5.51 ERA) will look to follow his first victory of the season when he takes the mound on Saturday night.

Giolito bounced back from allowing nine runs on 15 hits across his first two outings to win Sunday against Kansas City. The right-hander allowed just one run to the Royals on two hits and struck out five, leading the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory.

“(That start) was a big step forward,” Giolito said. “Now I feel like I’m 100 percent healthy. No worry about the hamstring or the elbow.”

Giolito has taken losses in his only two career starts against Atlanta, allowing 13 runs in 9 2/3 innings for the Chicago White Sox (2019) and Los Angeles Angels (2023).

–Field Level Media