Braves vs Red Sox Preview: Week 61 Showdown Under Lights

Atlanta's pitching staff is loaded with firepower. Spencer Strider throws gas like few others in baseball. Chris Sale is still sharp, even late in his career. Bryce Elder takes the mound Wednesday and looks to extend Atlanta's winning ways. The Braves are 37-18 this season and came away with a 7-6 victory yesterday at Fenway. Boston is reeling at 22-31 with four straight losses. You can see the difference right now: Atlanta's pitchers shut down hitters. Boston's batters are struggling to string together wins. This matchup has one team rolling and one team looking for answers.

Yesterday's game showed you exactly what's happening in this series. The Braves scored seven runs and looked explosive at the plate. Matt Olson crushed a home run to right. Ronald Acuña Jr. drove in runs with a clutch single. Marcus Harris II launched a bomb to center field. The Red Sox fought back with home runs from Jarren Duran and Enmanuel Rafaela early on. But Boston couldn't pull away when it mattered most. Isiah Kiner-Falefa sparked a ninth-inning rally with a single and two runs scoring. Still, it wasn't enough. Atlanta's bats have staying power. Boston's lineup feels flat right now.

Atlanta is rolling at 37-18 overall. The Braves just won on the road at Fenway, one of baseball's toughest places to play. They're riding momentum and have a winning streak going. Boston is headed in the opposite direction at 22-31. The Red Sox are 8-18 at home, which means Fenway is not protecting them like it should. Atlanta's pitching will be tested again Wednesday. Bryce Elder takes the ball for the Braves. Look for Atlanta to keep pounding the Red Sox pitching. Boston needs answers fast, or this season could slip away from them.