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Red Sox reactions: Willson Contreras hits game-winning homer, Payton Tolle dominates Braves
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- Red Sox reactions: Willson Contreras hits game-winning homer, Payton Tolle dominates Braves
ATLANTA — Instant reactions as Willson Contreras hits a game-winning homer for the Red Sox (19-26), who beat the Braves , 3-2, behind a stellar eight-inning outing from Payton Tolle :
1)The Red Sox started their night 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position against upstart Braves righty Bryce Elder and were a strike away from spoiling another opportunity with two outs and two strikes in the eighth. Contreras then got a pitch to hit and demolished it, providing one of the biggest swings of the young season for Boston by flipping a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead with a 106.1 mph, 426-foot blast into the left-field seats at Truist Park.
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Contreras was in a 3-for-29 funk entering the game but reached three times. His ninth homer of 2026 was a big one as the Red Sox won when trailing after seven innings... for the first time in 22 chances
2)Contreras made sure a fantastic outing from Payton Tolle didn't go to waste. After an uneven start against the Rays on Mother's Day, the rookie lefty efficiently carved Atlanta up despite still taking the loss thanks to another deficient offensive night.
Tolle got just six swings-and-misses but induced a lot of weak contact and held the Braves to two runs on four hits (while striking out three batters) in a career-high eight innings. He needed just 85 pitches (60 strikes) to pitch that deep. The only damage against him came via sophomore sensation Drake Baldwin , who had two run-scoring hits.
3) On a night when he gave many a scare by hugging teammates in the Red Sox bullpen , Aroldis Chapman relieved Tolle and did his job — though under hairy circumstances.
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The All-Star closer entered with a one-run lead against the trio of Ozzie Albies , Matt Olson and Austin Riley and was one strike away before Andruw Monasterio gave the Braves life when he airmailed Contreras on a Riley grounder that looked likely to end the game. Pinch-runner Jorge Mateo stole second before Chapman lost the zone and walked two straight batters on eight pitches to put the tying and winning runs in scoring position.
With two strikes, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim ripped a 103.9 mph comebacker off Chapman but the closer deflected it with his foot, dove to corral the ball and threw him out to end the game. Chapman is now 9-for-9 on save chances and has an ERA of 0.57.
It was the 377th save of Chapman's career, which ties him with Joe Nathan for 10th all-time.
4)Before the Contreras blast, it was another night of missed opportunities as Boston went 0-for-9 in its first nine chances with runners in scoring position.
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The fourth and sixth innings were particularly frustrating for the Sox. In the fourth, Boston loaded the bases with no outs but plated just one run as Elder got three straight outs (including a sacrifice fly). In the seventh, Ceddanne Rafaela led off with a double. Elder then needed four pitches to retire Marcelo Mayer , Andruw Monasterio and Caleb Durbin , all via groundout.
5)The first run Boston did get? It was kind of a gift from the umpiring crew. On a soft Masataka Yoshida liner, a great throw from right fielder José Azócar nearly nabbed a sliding Mickey Gasper at the plate and turned a sacrifice fly into a double play. Gasper was ruled safe and the call stood after a very lengthy replay review.
Still, that inning could have been much more productive for the Sox, who only got the one run after starting with the ultimate threat.
6) Jarren Duran started the game off on a positive note, snapping an 0-for-18 slump with a line drive double. He's up to .176 with a .534 OPS this season after going 1-for-4 in the win.
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7)Baldwin's torrid start to the year has continued in the first two days against the Red Sox this weekend. After homering off Connelly Early on Friday, the catcher smacked Tolle's second pitch of the night out of the ballpark, then put the Braves up 2-1 with a two-out, RBI single in the fifth. He has a .908 OPS.
8)The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Red Sox, who avoided falling to nine games under .500 for the first time this season. They are now 4-19 when their opponents score first in 2026.
9)The Red Sox' lack of offense makes for one thing: quick games. Saturday's finished in just two hours and six minutes, marking the 11th game under the 2:30 mark so far.
10)The Red Sox will start Brayan Bello (2-4, 6.46 ERA) in traditional fashion Sunday as they have opted not to use an opener with the bullpen somewhat taxed. Bello has pitched well in his last two outings coming out of the bullpen following Jovaní Morán and will make his first true start since April 29 in Toronto .
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Atlanta will throw righty Grant Holmes (2-1, 4.35 ERA) with first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET.
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