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In the conclusion to their three game series against Atlanta, the Red Sox decided to go out with a bang. Going into the bottom of the 9th tied 5-5, Boston SS Nick Green came up to bat. Green was already 0-2 on the day and he knew he had to get something started. Instead, he finished things off. Green swung at the first pitch from Braves’ reliever Jeff Bennett and wrapped a fly ball around Pesky Pole to send the Sox home with a 6-5 victory.

The Sox offense showed up in fine form by pounding out 10 hits with David Ortiz leading the charge by going 2-4 with his sixth home run of the season. First baseman Mark Kotsay joined Ortiz as the only Sox players with a multi-hit game (Kotsay went 2-4 as well). Left fielder Jason Bay was the only one on the Sox without a hit by going 0-2 with a walk.

Tim Wakefield didn’t have his best stuff by giving up four earned runs in 6.2 innings of work and striking out two. It was his first non-quality outing since May 29th. Closer Jonathan Papelbon worked a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his first victory of the season.

Sox Stud of the Game

Nick Green, SS: The game’s hero went 1-3 with the walk-off homer.

Sox Dud of the Game

Hideki Okajima, RP: Okajima allowed the tying run in the top of the 8th inning and has allowed three earned runs this month after allowing zero runs in May.

That’s What He Said

“I didn’t even comprehend that it was a walk-off” – Nick Green

Game Notes

W: Jonathan Papelbon (1-1)
L:  Jeff Bennett (2-4)

• Jason Bay got his league-leading 66th RBI with a sacrifice fly in the 1st inning.
• J.D. Drew showed off his wheels with his second stolen base of the season.
• Atlanta manager Bobby Cox, 3B Chipper Jones, and pitcher Eric O’Flaherty were ejected in the 7th inning when J.D. Drew got an RBI single during an at-bat where O’Flaherty and Cox thought the umpire blew what should have been a called third strike.

Tags: Atlanta Braves, David Ortiz, Jonathan Papelbon, Nick Green, Red Sox, Tim Wakefield