BY KEN POWTAK
BOSTON (AP) — Marcell Ozuna homered for the second straight day, former Boston outfielder Alex Verdugo had three hits and the Atlanta Braves beat the Red Sox 10-4 on Sunday to win the three-game series.
Austin Riley also had three hits for the Braves (24-23), who moved a game above .500 for the second time after opening 0-7. Every starter except leadoff hitter Verdugo had at least one RBI.
Rafael Devers hit his sixth career grand slam for Boston, which has lost 11 of 17.
Spencer Schwellenbach (3-3) held the Red Sox scoreless for six of his seven innings, giving up four runs and six hits.
Ozuna’s two-run homer cleared the Green Monster in a three-run eighth.
A day after a walk-off homer, Devers hit Shwellenbach’s 1-0 fastball into the center-field bleachers for a 4-3 lead.
Brayan Bello (2-1) allowed seven runs, one shy of his career high, and matched career highs of 10 hits and five walks while pitching 4 1/3 innings.
Key moment
After Bello walked two and gave up a hit that loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth, manager Alex Cora elected to leave him in. He walked Michael Harris II on four pitches, allowed Eli White’s RBI single and Nick Allen’s sacrifice fly, then was removed.
Key stat
Boston’s previous slam was by Luis Urias on Aug. 19, 2023.
Up next
Braves: Washington’s LHP Mitchell Parker (3-3, 4.32 ERA) starts Tuesday’s opener of a three-game series.
Red Sox: RHP Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 3.90) is in line to face Mets RHP Kodai Senga (4-2, 1.02) Monday in the first of three at Fenway Park.
