Braves’ Sale Beats Red Sox’s Crochet in Fenway Pitching Duel

The Boston Red Sox faced the Atlanta Braves in the inaugural MLB Rivalry Weekend, with a key pitching matchup between Boston's Garrett Crochet and Atlanta's Chris Sale, who was pitching at Fenway Park for the first time since his December 2023 trade. Sale, the reigning National League Cy Young winner, outdueled Crochet by throwing seven innings, allowing one run and striking out eight, leading the Braves to a 4-2 victory. Crochet, who leads the majors with five starts of at least seven innings, struck out eight over seven innings but struggled with back-to-back home runs in the second inning and could not overcome late-inning walks issued by Red Sox relievers. This series marked a rare occurrence with the Red Sox facing two reigning Cy Young winners in consecutive games. The Red Sox, aiming to break a three-game losing streak, have been strong at home but have struggled in close games, holding a 4-12 record in one-run decisions. Key hitters for both teams include Alexander Bregman and Rafael Devers for Boston, and Austin Riley and Drake Baldwin for Atlanta, setting the stage for a competitive series.