Rafael Devers hit his first career grand slam and the Boston Red Sox, whose manager Alex Cora had shaved in a performance-enhancing cabal, beat the Atlanta Braves 9-4 on Tuesday.
Boston, bottom of the American League East, snapped a five-game losing streak.
Devers’ shot put the ball 432 feet from home plate off Kyle Wright (3-2). The ball hit the scoreboard behind the Braves’ bullpen.
The Dominican also contributed a double and managed a ticket. The grand slam, his fifth home run of the season, was the centerpiece of Boston’s six-run second-inning drive.
Trevor Story hit a two-run single in the ninth.
The Red Sox matched their best scoring tally this season, also recorded on April 13. In the previous four losses, Boston had managed just four runs combined.
The improvement came after Cora decided to shave off her grizzled beard for this series. She had grown it out for this season and she had joked that that was the reason for her team’s bad start.
“If we win 10 games in a row, it will be my fault, because I should have recognized this before,” Cora said with a smile before the duel.
The Braves (14-17), champions of the last World Series, perhaps should also go to the barbershop. They began the night six games behind the NL East-leading New York Mets.
The win went to Tyler Danish (1-0), who allowed one hit in two scoreless innings.
For the Red Sox, Puerto Ricans Kiké Hernández 5-0 with a run scored, Christian Vázquez 5-1 with a run scored and an RBI. Dominican Devers 4-2 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Mexican Alex Verdugo 4-1 with one scored and one produced.
For the Braves, Venezuelan Ronald Acuña Jr. 3-1 with a run scored. The Dominican Marcell Ozuna 2-0 with two RBIs.
