BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s starting pitcher Nick Pivetta threw seven shutout innings and Rafael Devers hit two home runs as the Red Sox defeated the visiting Atlanta Braves 9-0 on Wednesday and earn a split in the two-game series.
Pivetta (3-4) struck out nine and walked two. Austin Riley collected the only hit against Pivetta, a single in the fourth inning. It was Atlanta’s only hit in the game.
The Braves, who struck out 11 times in the loss, were shut out for the first time this season.
Devers hit a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run homer in the seventh. He has 13 home runs this season.
Boston also got a solo home run from Jarren Duran, his fourth of the season.
Boston’s Zack Kelly pitched the eighth, and Brad Keller worked the ninth.
The Red Sox, who dropped an 8-3 decision to Atlanta on Tuesday, scored three runs in the second, three in the fifth, two in the seventh and one in the eighth.
Boston’s Tyler O’Neill (2-for-4, one RBI) was reinstated from the 10-day injury list Wednesday and started in right field. Dominic Smith and Rob Refsnyder each added two hits for the Red Sox, who had 13 hits in the game.
Boston’s Jamie Westbrook, in his third major league game, collected his first career hit when he singled in the eighth.
The Red Sox opened the scoring when Devers homered off Atlanta starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (0-2) in the second. The Red Sox made it 2-0 when David Hamilton doubled home O’Neill, and they stretched the lead to 3-0 when Reese McGuire’s sacrifice fly drove in Smith.
Boston’s three-run fifth featured an RBI double from Enmanuel Valdez, an RBI single from O’Neill and an RBI double by Smith.
Devers homered in the seventh, and Duran homered in the eighth.
Schwellenbach, who was making his second major league start, allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked two (one intentional) and struck out four.
The Red Sox improved to 1-3 against the Braves this season.
–Field Level Media