Boston Red Sox
Contreras hit a game-winning 426-foot homer to left field in the eighth frame.
Payton Tull had the longest game of his career in Saturday’s win. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
The Boston Red Sox rallied late to beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Saturday night, after a tough 3-2 extra inning loss the night before.
Things looked troubling early when Red Sox outfielder Payton Tull allowed a leadoff home run on the second pitch of the game off Braves designated hitter Drake Baldwin. The long ball was the red-hot Baldwin’s second in as many games, as he picked off Connelly early Friday.
This first-inning homer was the only major blemish in Tull’s outing. He set a career-high with eight strong frames, giving up two earned runs, four hits, one walk, striking out three and collecting six swings and errors. The 23-year-old left-hander threw 85 pitches (60 strikeouts) of effective ball, positioning himself to try to pitch a complete game.
Instead, Aroldis Chapman approached the ninth to record the save. Interim manager Chad Tracy said he didn’t really consider giving Toole the final inning, and Toole said he has full confidence in Chapman, so he wouldn’t mind not returning to the mound.
Toole described his debut as a fulfilling experience.
“It was a lot of fun,” he said He told reporters postgame. “Yeah, it was good. Being able to go out there and let the defense do what it does. … Everyone there did a great job, so it was a lot of fun.”
Tull’s impressive outing made him the first Red Sox player 24 or younger to throw at least eight innings since Eduardo Rodriguez in 2016 (Per JB Long).
Tracy praised Toole’s performance, highlighting his number of down throws that helped put Boston in a position to win.
“Very cool,” Tracy said. “To put in — the number of pitches and the efficiency — to put himself in a position to go out there for the eighth inning, he was pretty good.”
Offensively, the Red Sox tied the game at one run apiece in the fourth inning on Masataka Yoshida’s sacrifice fly, but Baldwin recorded an RBI hit in the fifth to restore Atlanta’s lead.
It all seemed doomed in the seventh frame when the Red Sox missed Ceddanne Rafaela’s double by going 1-2-3 to strand him at second base.
But first baseman Wilson Contreras saved the day in the eighth, hitting a 426-foot home run to deep left field after 1-2 and two outs to give his team a 3-2 lead. The homer came off Braves player Bryce Elder’s 100th pitch of the game.
Contreras’ ninth home run of the year was all Boston needed to get back into the win column. He said he was happy to put the team on his back and be the reason they won the series this weekend.
“It’s a great feeling. It’s a great feeling to be able to help the team,” Contreras said. NESN’s Jahmai Webster On the field after the match. “We know we’re trying to play better baseball, trying to have better bats. I’m adjusting back to the four-hole. It’s not easy, but I come here every day to play baseball, to play for the players, and tonight we played for each other.”
Tracy described Contreras as an incredibly important part of the 2026 Red Sox team whose power could put Boston over the edge with one hit at any point in the game.
“Huge. Huge. He’s our guy,” Tracy said of Homer Contreras. “Like having this guy in the middle of the system that can do instant damage, and he changed that dugout quickly with that swing.”
Chapman faced a tough, bases-stacked situation with two outs in the ninth inning, but eventually recorded the save by getting a returner out of his stall. It knocked him to the ground, but he was able to throw the ball to first base in time. Chapman said he was fine.
Saturday’s win marked the Red Sox’ first come-from-behind win after seven innings in 2026. Clutch hits, or many meaningful hits at all, have been hard to come by all season. Contreras launching one against the best team in MLB is no small feat for the struggling Sox.
Boston will look to win a fifth series of the season in a rubber match on Sunday. Brian Bellew will face Grant Holmes at 1:35 PM ET.
Get the latest Boston sports news
Get updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.