Facing Braves, Boston’s Rafael Devers looks to end May with a bang

Boston’s Rafael Devers will have one final chance to pad his statistics for May when the Red Sox visit the Atlanta Braves for the second game of their three-game interleague series on Saturday afternoon.

Devers went 2-for-4 with a two-run single on Friday to continue his month-long offensive surge. In 27 games in May, Devers is batting .370 (37-for-100) with 14 runs, five doubles, seven homers, 33 RBIs and 22 walks. It is the second time in his career that Devers has driven in 30-plus runs in a month, the most recent time coming in July 2019, when he recorded 34 RBIs.

The Red Sox ended their five-game losing streak by beating the Braves 5-1 on Friday to even the season series at 2-2. The Braves have dropped seven of their past nine games to fall four games under .500.

The starting matchup on Saturday will feature a pair of right-handers — Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach (3-4, 3.42 ERA) and Boston’s Walker Buehler (4-2, 3.95).

Schwellenbach is scheduled to make his 12th start. He saw his two-game winning streak broken on Sunday by the San Diego Padres after pitching seven innings for the third straight outing. He allowed four runs (two unearned) and matched his career high with 11 strikeouts in a 5-3 loss.

“This is a team of fighters and a lot of really good players,” Schwellenbach said. “We know we should be in every game and win every game. We have all the confidence that we’re going to play better baseball.”

Schwellenbach beat the Red Sox on May 18 when he allowed four runs in seven innings of a 10-4 win. In two career starts against Boston, he is 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA.

Buehler is set to make his ninth start of the season and is coming off a 5-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, when he pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and two walks. That appearance followed a start against the New York Mets, his first since spending time on the injured list with bursitis in his right shoulder. He didn’t last long; he was ejected after 2 1/3 scoreless innings for arguing balls and strikes.

“Obviously I wanted to create a little bit more momentum than I did,” Buehler said after that game. “Super disappointing for me. Sometimes getting on the road and kind of having the group together can kind of help out. I think that’s the goal this week.”

Atlanta continues to struggle offensively. Even Ozzie Albies, who had been batting .346 since May 13, went hitless on Friday to see his 14-game hitting streak end.

The Braves placed right-hander A.J. Smith-Shawver on the 60-day injured list Friday with a torn ulnar collateral ligament that will cost him the rest of the season, and they put outfielder Stuart Fairchild on the 10-day IL with a dislocated pinky finger. Atlanta called up left-hander Dylan Dodd and outfielder Jose Azocar from Triple-A Gwinnett and optioned right-hander Michael Petersen.

The Braves will recall right-hander Bryce Elder to make the start on Sunday. That will allow the team to give the entire staff an additional day of rest. Spencer Strider is scheduled to start the series opener against Arizona on Tuesday.

–Field Level Media