Houck, Vazquez grand slam lead Red Sox to 8-2 rout of Braves

ATLANTA (AP) — Rookie right-hander Tanner Houck struck out 10 in another dominant performance, Christian Vazquez capped a big inning with a grand slam, and the Boston Red Sox routed the Atlanta Braves 8-2 Saturday night.

Giving the Red Sox reason to be hopeful after a dismal season, Houck (3-0) surrendered his first earned run in three big league starts but thoroughly stifled baseball's most explosive offense.

Boston did all its scoring in an eight-run second capped by Vazquez's second career grand slam.

The 24-year-old Houck surrendered only three hits, walked three and held the Braves scoreless until Dansby Swanson led off the fifth with his 10th homer.

Marcell Ozuna and Adeiny Hechavarría had the only other hits off the right-hander, who turned it over to the bullpen after throwing 94 pitches in six innings. His ERA for an abbreviated debut season was 0.53.

Tucker Davidson (0-1) was making his big league debut for the Braves, who already locked up the NL East and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.

Davidson breezed through the first, striking out two while working around a walk, but wildness and a shaky defense doomed him in the second.

After Jackie Bradley Jr. walked with one out, Bobby Dalbec followed with a 449-foot drive into the empty left-field bleachers to stake the Red Sox to a 2-0 lead.

Hechavarría botched Michael Chavis' grounder to third base for an error, Christian Arroyo singled and Alex Verdugo walked to load the bases.

Davidson had a chance to escape with no further damage, only to have the infield let him down again. Rafael Devers hit a sharp grounder to Swanson, who bobbled what could've been an inning-ending double play. The shortstop recovered in time for the force but the relay throw was too late to get Devers, bringing home another run and...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Houck-Vazquez-grand-slam-lead-Red-Sox-to-8-2-15600286.php