Major League Baseball
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Atlanta 5, Boston 2
When: 7:10 PM ET, Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Where: Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia
Temperature: 93°
Umpires: Home - Brian Knight, 1B - Larry Vanover, 2B - Ron Kulpa, 3B - Victor Carapazza
Attendance: 28902

ATLANTA -- Nick Markakis tied a major league record for consecutive errorless games in the outfield, but it was at the plate where the right fielder came through for the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night.

Markakis, who has four RBIs in as many games, singled home the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning, and the Braves defeated the Boston Red Sox 5-2.

"I was just trying not to hit into a ground-ball double play, and I was lucky enough to find a hole there," said Markakis, who is hitting .301 in his first season with the Braves after a long tenure with Baltimore.

Markakis has gone 392 games without an error, tying the record set by Darren Lewis from 1990 to 1994.

"I just go out there day by day and try not to make an error," Markakis said. "My main priority is securing the ball and then making the play. I just go out there and do my job."

The loss was the eighth in nine games for the Red Sox (28-39), and it was a frustrating night for manager John Farrell.

Farrell lost his managerial challenge early for the second straight game and then was ejected by first base umpire Larry Vanover for protesting a check-swing call in the two-run seventh by the Braves (32-34).

"It was clearly a full swing," Farrell said. "I went out to argue my case."

Despite the victory, it wasn't all good for the Braves. First baseman Freddie Freeman had to leave the game because of a sore right wrist, and his playing steak will end at 234 games.

Freeman hurt the wrist on a swing Saturday and received a cortisone injection after leaving Wednesday's game. He won't play Thursday.

"It takes a lot for me to come out of a game," Freeman said. "Hopefully, with treatment, I'll be ready for the Mets series (on Friday)."

In the decisive seventh for the Braves, Red Sox right-handed reliever Junichi Tazawa (0-3) gave up three consecutive hits with one out, the last by Markakis. Left-hander Tommy Layne then walked catcher A.J. Pierzynski with two outs to force in a second run.

The Braves added an insurance run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by center fielder Cameron Maybin.

Jason Grilli pitched the ninth inning for his 18th save in 20 chances. Nick Masset (2-1) worked the seventh and got credit for the victory.

First baseman Mike Napoli, picking on a 2-1 changeup from Braves starter Alex Wood, smashed his 10th homer of the season in the sixth to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.

The Braves, though, quickly tied it again in the bottom of the sixth, the Red Sox failing to turn a double play that would have ended the inning. Shortstop Pedro Ciriaco, a former Boston player filling in for Andrelton Simmons, followed with his third hit and second RBI, singling against reliever Alexi Ogando.

Red Sox starter Joe Kelly, who drove in the first Boston run, allowed five hits and was charged with two runs in five-plus innings.

Wood worked six innings, and one of the two runs against him was unearned. The left-hander allowed five hits, walked two and struck out seven.

Farrell lost his challenge for the game after the third Boston batter of the first inning when a video review let stand a Braves forceout at second base.

That proved significant an inning later when Farrell could only suggest to Vanover that the umpires use a crew-chief review after center fielder Mookie Betts was called out when he appeared safe on a bunt.

"Mookie Betts is safe by a step and a half," Farrell said. "When (review) is not implemented across the board, that's when you begin to have some issues."

Farrell has challenged 21 calls this season, and only eight were overturned.

Kelly made the last out in the second inning, but his two-out infield single with the bases loaded in the fourth gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. The run was unearned after an error by Braves third baseman Juan Uribe.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Boston   Atlanta
Joe Kelly Player Alex Wood
No Decision W/L No Decision
5.0 IP 6.0
3 Strikeouts 7
5 Hits 5
3.60 ERA 1.50
Hitting
Boston   Atlanta
Brock Holt Player Pedro Ciriaco
2 Hits 3
0 RBI 2
0 HR 0
2 TB 4
.500 Avg .750
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Boston 8 1 11 .235 19 8 2 2 0 1
Atlanta 10 0 12 .303 25 6 5 6 1 1