BOSTON (AP) High-flying rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. took quite a tumble.
Acuna went sprawling after beating out an infield hit in the seventh inning, exiting with knee and lower back pain Sunday as the Atlanta Braves beat the Boston Red Sox 7-1.
”We haven’t really gotten any reports except just that he’s sore,” manager Brian Snitker said. ”He’s being looked at, so we’ll know more.”
Acuna waved his arms ”safe” as he crossed the bag before his left foot gave out. The 20-year-old outfielder walked off the diamond slowly, passing on a wheel chair that was rolled out for him.
”You really didn’t have to say much when you heard all the `oohs’ and `aahs’ from the crowd when they showed the replay,” winning pitcher Mike Foltynewicz said.
Acuna also walked and scored a run before leaving.
Foltynewicz took a no-hit bid into the sixth and went seven innings. Tyler Flowers hit a three-run homer off Red Sox ace Chris Sale (5-2), salvaging the finale of a three-game interleague series.
It was just the Braves’ second win in six games, and fourth in their last 14 games at Fenway Park. Boston had won six of seven.
Foltynewicz (4-3) gave up one run on three hits, striking out seven and walking three.
Sale (5-2) was tagged for six runs in 4 1/3 innings. He hadn’t allowed more than three in all 11 of his previous starts this season.
”I put my guys in a bad spot today, I really did,” he said.
Red Sox star Mookie Betts was a late scratch with left side tightness. Betts entered the day leading the majors with a .359 average and was tied with the Angels’ Mike Trout with 17 homers.
”Probably won’t play Monday,” manager Alex Cora said. ”(He) felt it during batting practice.”
Flowers’ homer – a drive over the Green Monster – made it 3-0 in the second. It was his second homer in his third career at-bat against Sale – his former teammate with the White Sox.
The Braves chased Sale with three runs in the fifth. Freddie Freeman, the last batter he faced, had a two-run double.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Cora originally had 2B Dustin Pedroia out of the lineup, but inserted him in the cleanup spot and at second when Betts was scratched. Pedroia made his season debut Saturday after offseason left knee surgery. Pedroia was hitless in three at-bats and is 0 for 7 this year.
NICE JUMP
Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies made a leaping grab of Xander Bogaerts’ hard liner in the sixth, getting it barely at the top of his glove while at full extension.
”I told him that was probably the play of the day, save of the day,” Foltynewicz said. ”He just jumped and all-of-a-sudden the ball was like a magnet right into his glove.”
ALUMNI FUN
Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez gave up a two-run homer to Julio Lugo, that caromed off a billboard above the Monster in a Red Sox alumni game before the contest.
”It was a straight fastball. I fell behind on the count and laid it in there, but I didn’t expect him to hit it out, but he did,” Martinez said.
It was the club’s first alumni game in 25 years.
UP NEXT
Braves: LHP Max Fried (0-2, 6.00 ERA) is slated to start the opener and RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 4.67) the nightcap of a doubleheader at home against the Mets on Monday.
Red Sox: LHP David Price (4-4, 4.08) looks to keep a solid run going against Toronto in the opener of a three-game series Monday. He’s 2-0 with a 2.21 ERA in his last three starts.
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