Devers powers Red Sox offense, Pivetta shuts down Braves in win (2024)

BOSTON —

Nick Pivetta combined with two relievers for a one-hit shutout and Rafael Devers hit two homers and drove in three runs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 9-0 on Wednesday.

Pivetta (3-4) worked seven innings and allowed Atlanta’s only hit — a leadoff single by Austin Riley in the fourth inning. The 31-year-old right-hander struck out nine and finished one strikeout shy of his season high, against the Seattle Mariners on March 29.

“I wouldn’t say I felt great, to be honest with you,” Pivetta said. “But, yeah, it was a good outing. I think throughout the game the guys were on the bats, gave me a lot of runs, so I was able to just kind of attack the strike zone, get ahead of guys, allow themselves to get each other out. It was a good team win today.”

Devers hit a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run shot in the seventh for the 17th multi-homer game of his career and first since July 14, 2023, against the Chicago Cubs. He has 13 homers this season.

“Now, he’s locked in,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Devers. “Staying on fastballs, using the whole field, not chasing pitches, hitting the ball the other way, that’s being locked in. Now, he’s very dangerous.”

Jarren Duran hit a solo homer in the eighth inning, his fourth of the season. Duran, Rob Refsnyder, Tyler O’Neill and Dominic Smith each had two hits as Boston improved to 31-31 with its fifth win in 12 games.

Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (0-2) allowed six runs on seven hits with two walks (one intentional) over 4 2/3 innings in his second career start.

“Lot of strikes, kid is learning,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He doesn’t have a lot to fall back on yet. But the stuff was good. He threw a lot of strikes. Got hurt with some two-strike, probably got too much of the plate. But he competes really well. Stuff is good and there’s a lot of upside there.”

Boston jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Devers led off with a homer. O’Neill singled and Dominic Smith walked before David Hamilton’s double scored O’Neill. Hamilton scored on a sacrifice fly by Reese McGuire.

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“After a tough second, I felt like I did a good job of coming back out and throwing strikes in the third and fourth,” Schwellenbach said. “For me, getting on top and throwing strikes and getting to two strikes, I just wasn’t able to finish.”

The Red Sox added three more runs in the fifth. Duran, who entered the game leading MLB in triples, hit his ninth of the season and scored on Enmanuel Valdez’s double.

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After a two-out intentional walk to Devers, O’Neill doubled, scoring Devers and chasing Schwellenbach. Ray Kerr entered and gave up an RBI double to Smith.

Devers’ two-run shot in the seventh scored Rob Refsnyder, who opened the inning with a double.

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Duran added a homer in the eighth off right-hander Jimmy Herget.

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Boston right-hander Zack Kelly was called up before the game to take the place of Chris Martin, who was placed on the 15-day injury list with anxiety. Kelly worked the eighth and finished with two strikeouts. Brad Keller pitched the ninth.

Up next

The Red Sox travel to Chicago on Thursday when right-hander Tanner Houck (5-5, 1.85) will be opposed by White Sox right-hander Jake Woodford (0-1, 6.23).

Earlier in this series: