Red Sox reactions: Willson Contreras hits game-winning homer, Payton Tolle dominates Braves

ATLANTA — Instant reactions as Willson Contreras hits a game-winning homer for the Red Sox (19-26), who beat the Braves, 3-2, behind a stellar eight-inning outing from Payton Tolle: 1) The Red Sox started their night 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position against upstart Braves righty Bryce Elder and were a strike away from spoiling another opportunity with two outs and two strikes in the eighth. Contreras then got a pitch to hit and demolished it, providing one of the biggest swings of the young season for Boston by flipping a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead with a 106. 1 mph, 426-foot blast into the left-field seats at Truist Park.

Contreras was in a 3-for-29 funk entering the game but reached three times. His ninth homer of 2026 was a big one. 2) Contreras made sure a fantastic outing from Payton Tolle didn’t go to waste.

After an uneven start against the Rays on Mother’s Day, the rookie lefty efficiently carved Atlanta up despite still taking the loss thanks to another deficient offensive night. Tolle got just six swings-and-misses but induced a lot of weak contact and held the Braves to two runs on four hits (while striking out three batters) in a career-high eight innings. He needed just 85 pitches (60 strikes) to pitch that deep.

The only damage against him came via sophomore sensation Drake Baldwin, who had two run-scoring hits. 3) On a night when he gave many a scare by hugging teammates in the Red Sox bullpen , Aroldis Chapman relieved Tolle and did his job — though under hairy circumstances. The All-Star closer entered with a one-run lead against the trio of Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson and Austin Riley and was one strike away before Andruw Monasterio gave the Braves life when he airmailed Contreras on a Riley grounder that looked likely to end the game.