Red Sox 9, Braves 4
BOSTON -- Brock Holt became the first Red Sox player to hit for the cycle since John Valentin on June 6, 1996, tripling in the eighth inning to cap the rare feat as Boston snapped a season-high, seven-game losing streak with a 9-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday at Fenway Park.
The second baseman singled in the first, doubled in the fifth and homered in the seventh to set himself up for the historic three-bagger with two outs in the eighth.
The Red Sox avoided their longest losing streak since last summer's eight-game skid.
Boston broke open the game with three runs in the sixth, sparked by center fielder Mookie Betts' leadoff triple. He tied a career high in hits for the second straight game, going 3-for-5.
Betts scored the go-ahead run on shortstop Xander Bogaerts' ground ball to Braves second baseman Jace Peterson, who fired home on the play. Catcher Ryan Lavarnway couldn't hold on as Betts slid under the tag, but he recovered in time to throw Bogaerts out at second.
After a double from first baseman Mike Napoli put two runners in scoring position with two outs in the inning, left fielder Alejandro De Aza hit a two-run double to center to make it 5-2.
Second baseman Brock Holt hit a solo home run to left an inning later. De Aza tacked on an insurance run with his RBI triple to right in the eighth and right fielder Rusney Castillo hustled out an infield single that allowed De Aza to score, giving Boston a six-run cushion.
Holt's milestone triple scored Castillo from first and capped the scoring.
Braves shortstop Pedro Ciriaco and catcher A.J. Pierzynski both had RBI doubles against Red Sox right-hander Koji Uehara in the ninth, but five runs was as close as Atlanta came.
Boston left-hander Wade Miley (6-6) tied a season high with eight strikeouts while allowing two earned runs, five hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings.
Atlanta right-hander Julio Teheran (4-3) took the loss, allowing six earned runs and 13 hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Boston (28-38) got off to a quick start, scoring two runs in the first.
Betts lined a double to center field to score Holt, who doubled to lead off the inning. Betts later crossed the plate when third baseman Pablo Sandoval grounded into a double play, which was upheld after an unsuccessful Red Sox challenge on the call at first.
Atlanta (31-34) evened the score with two runs in the fourth. Center fielder Cameron Maybin scored on first baseman Freddie Freeman's double to right and a groundout to first from right fielder Nick Markakis brought Freeman home after he advanced to third on a Miley wild pitch.
NOTES: Atlanta is 29-31 all time against Boston but has gone 17-14 at Fenway Park. ... Braves INF Andrelton Simmons (sore hand) was out of the lineup and is day to day after taking a pitch off his right hand Monday. Pedro Ciriaco, who spent parts of two seasons with the Red Sox, started at shortstop. ... C Ryan Lavarnway, another former Red Sox, made his Braves debut behind the plate. ... INF Dustin Pedroia (sore left knee) and OF Hanley Ramirez (back soreness) were out of the Red Sox lineup. Brock Holt played at second base and Alejandro De Aza was in left field. ... MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was in Boston for Tuesday's game and spoke with reporters about a variety of subjects. ... Atlanta wraps up its home-and-home series against Boston with a two-game set at Turner Field starting Wednesday.