Chris Sale shuts down his former team as Braves beat Red Sox 5-0

ATLANTA (AP) — Marcell Ozuna continued his torrid start with two more homers and Chris Sale pitched six innings against his former team, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox and a sweep of their two matches. interleague series Wednesday evening.

Ozuna hit a three-run shot in the first inning and added a solo shot in the third against Nick Pivetta, who was roughed up in his first start since coming off the injured list.

Sale (5-1) pitched for the Red Sox from 2018-23 — a tenure that began with a World Series championship but was largely marred by injuries before being traded to Atlanta last winter .

The left-hander appears to have rediscovered the form that made him one of the most dominant starters in baseball. He fanned 10 for the 82nd double-digit game of his career and got a big boost from left fielder Jarred Kelenic, who leapt over the yellow line at the 385-foot mark to rip off a potential homer by Garrett Cooper.

Speaking of comebacks, look at how far Ozuna has come.

A year ago, the slugger known as “Big Bear” was hitting .146 and seemed on the verge of being released by the Braves. He bounced back to hit 40 home runs with 100 RBIs, and he’s on pace to put up even higher numbers this season.

Ozuna’s second two-homer game of the year gave him 12 homers and 38 RBIs – both best in the big leagues – as well as a .315 batting average. He nearly hit three homers on the night, flying into the warning track on his final time.

Orlando Arcia also went deep for the Braves. Dylan Lee and Ray Kerr followed Sale to complete the seven-hit shutout.

Pivetta (1-2) made his first appearance since April 3 after being sidelined with a strained right elbow.

He appeared to get through first with no problem when Austin Riley threw what was ruled an inning-ending double play. But the call was overturned when the replay showed Riley putting his foot in the bag just before the relay.

Matt Olson took a dribbler that hit the field for a hit, and Ozuna followed with a 372-foot shot that barely cleared the right-field wall. Three pitches later, Arcia hit back-to-back homers with another opposite-field shot to right.

Instead of coming out of the inning unscathed, Pivetta found himself in a 4-0 hole – a rare mistake from a Red Sox rotation that has been excellent this season. He lasted four innings, allowing seven hits and all five of Atlanta’s runs.

TRAINERS ROOM

Red Sox: In addition to Pivetta’s return, the Red Sox activated Romy Gonzalez from the 10-day injured list and started him at first base. He had been out since April 11 due to a strained left wrist.

Braves: C Sean Murphy hit in the cage as he heads toward a return to the lineup. Murphy hasn’t played since the season opener on March 29, when he strained his left oblique on a pitch.

FOLLOWING

Both teams are off Thursday. The Red Sox return home to open a three-game series Friday against Washington, with RHP Tanner Houck (3-3, 1.99 ERA) facing Nationals LHP Patrick Corbin (0-3, 6.45 ERA). RHP Charlie Morton (2-0, 3.50 ERA) takes the mound for the Braves Friday to start a weekend in New York. The Mets will go with LHP Jose Quintana (1-3, 5.20 ERA).

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