Braves fall to Red Sox, have injury concerns

ATLANTA -- The pain of seeing a lead disappear against the Red Sox was bad enough for the Braves.<br /> <br /> Injury scares for two key players only added to the bad night.<br /> <br /> Atlanta's bullpen gave up four runs in the seventh inning as Boston rallied for the second straight game, beating the Braves 6-3 on Tuesday.<br /> <br /> Braves catcher Evan Gattis was a late scratch after straining his right wrist in batting practice. He sat on the bench with a brace.<br /> <br /> Shortstop Andrelton Simmons left in the eighth with inflammation in his right ankle.<br /> <br /> The Braves hope neither player misses more than a day or two.<br /> <br /> "We don't see anything that is long-term," manager Fredi Gonzalez said.<br /> <br /> Simmons said the pain in his ankle wasn't intense.<br /> <br /> "I feel OK; hopefully it goes away quick," Simmons said.<br /> <br /> "It's not like a nine out of 10 pain. It's not a terrible pain. It's just a nagging thing. So hopefully it stops nagging."<br /> <br /> Gattis said X-rays on his wrist were negative. He said he had wrist problems in the minors.<br /> <br /> "Took a couple swings and started feeling sore just out of nowhere," Gattis said.<br /> <br /> He said he plans to "take another day and see where I'm at tomorrow."<br /> <br /> Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run single during Boston's four-run rally in the seventh.<br /> <br /> The Red Sox won two straight over the Braves after coming to Atlanta with a 10-game losing streak, their longest in 20 years.<br /> <br /> Dustin Pedroia had three hits and Grady Sizemore went 2 for 5 with a go-ahead groundout in the seventh.<br /> <br /> The Red Sox overcame a five-run deficit on Monday to top Atlanta 8-6.<br /> <br /> The two straight losses left the Braves feeling unlucky.<br /> <br /> "Somehow their balls fell down and ours didn't," Simmons said.<br /> <br /> Braves starter Aaron Harang left with a 3-2 lead after the sixth. Anthony Varvaro (1-1) took the loss.<br /> <br /> Jason Heyward hit a first-inning homer and Chris Johnson drove in two runs for Atlanta. Harang gave up seven hits before Boston tagged the Braves' bullpen in the seventh.<br /> <br /> Varvaro gave up one-out singles to Xander Bogaerts and Dustin Pedroia before left-hander Luis Avilan was summoned to face David Ortiz.<br /> <br /> Ortiz, batting .283 against left-handers and .263 versus right-handers, hit an RBI single that made it 3-all.<br /> <br /> A day earlier, he homered and drove in four runs at Turner Field. He drew loud boos in the eighth when he grounded out and then broke his bat over his knee.<br /> <br /> After Ortiz tied it, Jonny Gomes' blooper to right field loaded the bases. Sizemore's broken-bat groundout drove in Pedroia for a 4-3 lead.<br /> <br /> After an intentional walk to David Ross, Bradley singled.<br /> <br /> Jon Lester (5-6) snapped a personal two-game losing streak by giving up three runs and eight hits in six innings.<br /> <br /> "To come here ... with that streak and end up getting two (wins) here is really big," Lester said.<br /> <br /> Koji Uehara worked the ninth for his 11th save.<br /> <br /> The Braves loaded the bases in the second but didn't score. Harang hit into a double play, and Heyward's grounder to Pedroia ended the inning.<br /> <br /> Sizemore doubled with one out in the fourth and stole third. Gonzalez challenged the call, but a replay review showed Sizemore was safe. Ross hit a single that made it 2-all.<br /> <br /> Freddie Freeman's first triple of the year set up the Braves' go-ahead run in the fifth. Justin Upton walked and Johnson hit a blooper that fell in right, turning into a run-scoring forceout at second.<br /> <br /> Gomes delivered the defensive highlight of the game with his diving catch on Gerald Laird's sinking liner in right field in the eighth.<br /> <br /> NOTES: Heyward's homer was the first allowed by Lester to a left-handed hitter in 180 at-bats, including postseason games, since July 18, 2013. ... The teams will play the first of two games in Boston on Wednesday night when Red Sox RHP John Lackey faces RHP Gavin Floyd.

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