G52: Red Sox 8, Atlanta 6

Atlanta - 021 200 001 - 6 11  1
Red Sox - 003 102 20x - 8 10  0

The Red Sox were dealt another crappy outing from Drew Pomeranz (3.1-6-5-3-3, 89), but they shrugged it off. They trailed 0-3 and 3-5, but rallied to run their best-in-MLB record to 36-16.

Run-scoring singles from Xander Bogaerts, Blake Swihart, and Christian Vazquez tied the game in the third. After Atlanta knocked Pomeranz out of the game and retook the lead, 5-3, Andrew Benintendi got one run back in the fourth with his sixth home run of the year. Mitch Moreland's two-run double gave the Red Sox a 6-5 lead and Benintendi knocked in two more runs with a triple in the seventh.

Pomeranz's trouble on Saturday was getting the final out of an inning before Atlanta scored. He succeeded only once in four tries. In the first, he allowed a single and a double with two outs before stranding the runners. After a leadoff walk in the second, he got two outs, but Atlanta's #9 hitter, Dansby Swanson, hit a two-run homer. Pomeranz retired the first two men in the third, but gave up back-to-back doubles. After getting one out in the fourth, he allowed a single and a walk.

The Red Sox left the bases loaded against Sean Newcomb (3-6-3-4-4, 88) in the first, when Dustin Pedroia - in his first at-bat of the season - flied to right.

Moreland tripled with one out in the third and scored on Bogaerts's single. Pedroia walked and, after Eduardo Nunez fanned, Swihart and Vazquez both knocked in a runner. Boston forced Newcomb to throw 36 pitches in the inning, running his three-inning total to 88.

In the sixth, the Red Sox trailed 5-4. Mookie Betts singled with one out. Sam Freeman hit Benintendi with a 2-0 pitch. J.D. Martinez flied out, but Moreland doubled into the right field corner, putting Boston back on top 6-5. Nunez reached on an error in the seventh and Betts walked with two outs. Benintendi's triple brought them both home.

Benintendi ended the second inning by hitting into a fielder's choice, so he technically was on base in all five of his plate appearances. He and Betts both scored twice. ... Every Red Sox starter either got a hit or scored a run except Martinez.

Joe Kelly pitched a clean eighth inning and has allowed only one run in his last 23 appearances. ... Steven Wright threw three scoreless innings in relief. ... The Red Sox wore ugly green-and-black caps and green stirrups for Memorial Day.

Sean Newcomb / Drew Pomeranz

Betts, RF
Benintendi, CF
Martinez, LF
Moreland, 1B
Bogaerts, SS
Pedroia, 2B
Nunez, 3B
Swihart, DH
Vazquez, C

Of the six major league hitters with at least 100 PA and an OPS over 1.000, three wear a Red Sox uniform: Mookie Betts (1.199), J.D. Martinez (1.034), and Mitch Moreland (1.029). ... Since he started the season 0-for-12, Moreland is batting .358 (34-for-95) with a .431 OBP.

FWIW: Each of the last three teams to win at least 35 of their first 51 games went on to win the World Series.

2007 Red Sox - 36-15 - Won World Series
2016 Cubs    - 36-15 - Won World Series
2017 Astros  - 35-16 - Won World Series
2018 Red Sox - 35-16 - ?

MFY Watch: Angels/MFY, 7 PM.