Mike Yastrzemski walks off Red Sox in 10th, Boston loses 3-2

Yastrzemski’s game-winning hit marked his seventh career hit.

The Andover-born Yastrzemski had gotten off to a slow start to the season, so securing the victory in extra innings was huge for him.

“It’s just gratifying.” Yastrzemski said Braves sideline reporter Paul Byrd on the postgame fielding. “The hard work will pay off in the end. You just have to keep fighting through it, trust the process, trust the hitting coaches, trust yourself and most importantly. Eventually it will happen.”

Yastrzemski landed with Atlanta on a two-year, $23 million deal over the winter after spending nearly seven seasons with the San Francisco Giants.

Pitcher Connelly Early allowed two solo home runs, one in the first inning to catcher Drake Baldwin and the other to center fielder Michael Harris in the fourth, giving Atlanta an early 2-0 lead.

Had another solid outing early, pitching five innings while allowing five hits on 86 pitches (61 strikeouts). He struck out six batters and did not give up a walk.

After walking off the mound and into the dugout after the fifth inning, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy appeared to let it be known early that his day was done. Early shook his head repeatedly as Tracy seemed to tell him he wouldn’t be coming back for sixth.

Early said he simply wanted to keep pitching and help the team win because he had settled into the game by that point, but he understood why Tracy made the decision.

“I just want to be able to get as deep into the game as possible and help the bullpen,” Early said. “I’m trying to stay out there. He had his reasons and I completely understand those reasons. … Just trying to keep me as fresh as possible for the next start.”

The Braves maintained their advantage until the sixth when designated hitter Mickey Jasper collected an RBI single to put the Red Sox on the board.

Shortstop Marcelo Mayer made things interesting with a solo homer of his own to tie the contest at two in the seventh frame. The clutch long ball was his second of the year.

Unfortunately, Boston’s offensive luck stopped there. He failed to score the rest of the way, popping up over and over again until Yastrzemski did his job in extra innings.

The Red Sox left seven men on base and went 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position on seven hits to continue a disturbing trend of an inability to get runs at the plate this season.

Boston will even look to the weekend series on Saturday at 7:15pm ET with Payton Toole on the prowl.

Callie Brown

Sports product

Callie Brown is a sports producer for Boston.com, where she covers the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox.