Braves 4, Red Sox 2
BOSTON -- Williams Perez didn't allow an earned run for the second straight start as the Atlanta Braves snapped a six-game losing streak against the Boston Red Sox with a 4-2 win in Monday night's series opener at Fenway Park.
The rookie right-hander was pitching for the third time in six days after tossing a scoreless inning and recording a save on Saturday in the Braves' 5-3 win over the New York Mets.
Perez (3-0) gave up five hits, all singles, and had two walks and two strikeouts over six innings to lower his ERA to 2.29 for Atlanta (31-33), which won at Fenway for the first time since 2012.
Right fielder Nick Markakis, third baseman Juan Uribe, and catcher A.J. Pierzynski had multi-hit nights for the Braves, all going 2-for-4. Markakis, Pierzynski and second baseman Jace Peterson each had an RBI for Atlanta, with Peterson's coming on a seventh inning single to right.
Right-hander Jason Grilli let three runners on and gave up an unearned run in the ninth, but still managed to record his 17th save of the season.
Boston (27-38) fell 11 games under .500 with its seventh consecutive loss.
Rick Porcello (4-7) dropped his fifth straight decision, allowing four earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out five in 6 1/3 innings for the Red Sox. The right-hander, who hasn't won since May 16, posted zeros in the first three frames before running into trouble.
Xander Bogaerts hit his third home run of the season with one out in the seventh. The shortstop crushed a 2-2 pitch into the center field bleachers to give Boston its first run.
Center fielder Mookie Betts went 3-for-4, and second baseman Dustin Pedroia went 2-for-3.
Betts capitalized on a shaky Grilli, sending a 3-2 pitch into left-center to plate a run with runners on the corners and two outs in the ninth. Alejandro De Aza pinch hit for catcher Sandy Leon in the next at-bat, but he grounded out to the pitcher to end the rally.
Atlanta struck for three runs in the fourth. Markakis, a player with plenty of experience against the Red Sox, hit a line-drive single to left field to score first baseman Freddie Freeman, who reached on a one-out single and stole second.
Markakis later scored on a wild pitch from Porcello with Pierzynski at the plate. Pierzynski hit a ball to first that deflected off of Mike Napoli's glove and rolled into right, bringing Uribe home to make it 3-0.
Jonny Gomes, who was cheered in his return to Fenway and finished 0-for-3, made a diving catch in left to rob Pedroia of a leadoff hit in the bottom of the fourth.
The Braves' journeyman outfielder and former Red Sox fan favorite played one season in Boston, batting .247 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs in 2013. Gomes hit a big three-run home run in a pivotal 4-2 win in Game 4 of the 2013 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The same cannot be said for Pierzynski, who was booed in his first game back at Fenway since the Red Sox cut ties with him after 72 games in 2014.
NOTES: Atlanta had lost its last six against Boston prior to Monday's series-opening win. ...The Braves have six former Red Sox players on their roster - RHP David Aardsma, INF Pedro Ciriaco, OF Jonny Gomes, INF Kelly Johnson, C Ryan Lavarnway, and C A.J. Pierzynski. ... Atlanta selected the contract of Lavarnway and called up RHP Sugar Ray Marimon from Triple-A Gwinett on Monday. C Christian Bethancourt and OF Todd Cunningham were optioned to Triple-A. ... OF Mookie Betts and INF Mike Napoli returned to Boston's lineup after missing two games. The center fielder was out with a low back sprain while the first baseman was given time off to regroup. ... LHP Craig Breslow was activated from the paternity leave list after his wife gave birth. INF Travis Shaw was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Red Sox LHP Robbie Ross Jr. was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket. In a corresponding move, SS Jeff Bianchi was designated for assignment.