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ATLANTA -- After getting hammered in his last start, Boston pitcher David Price admitted he needed something positive to happen on Tuesday night. Price recovered from one of the worst starts of his career to match his career high with 14 strikeouts and help the Boston Red Sox to an 11-4 win, handing the Atlanta Braves their seventh straight loss.
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"I needed it," Price said. "It was good to go out there and throw the baseball the way I know I'm capable of throwing it. Everybody needs that."
Price did not resemble the same pitcher who allowed a career-high-tying eight earned runs in his last start. In improving his record to 3-0, Price pitched eight innings and allowed two runs on six hits and two walks.
Price got eight of the final nine outs he recorded on strikeouts. The left-hander retired seven straight batters on three separate occasions.
"That's as crisp and as sharp as we've seen David this year," Boston manager John Farrell said. "He was powerful, he had a full assortment of pitches and when he's had that two-seam fastball running back to catch the inside corner against the right-handers, he was outstanding."
The Red Sox offense was sparked by third baseman Travis Shaw, who had a three-run homer in the first inning and a two-run double in the ninth, and shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who was 3-for-5 with one RBI.
"Travis had such a beautiful swing in the first inning," Farrell said. "We've done such a great job of late scoring early and turning things over. ... A real professional approach to hitting tonight, up and down the lineup."
It was the third straight win for Boston.
Wisler (0-2) allowed four runs in the first inning before settling down, but he pitched only five innings, his shortest start of the season. He allowed five runs on five hits with three walks, a hit batsman and a wild pitch.
Boston's Pat Light made his major league debut in the ninth inning and allowed two runs.
The Red Sox jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Shaw hit a long three-run homer to right field, his second, that was measured at 418 feet. Boston added another run on an RBI double by Brock Holt, who has safely reached base in each of the 16 games he's played this season.
The Braves got one run back in the bottom of the first by stringing together three consecutive singles, the last one by Jeff Francoeur that produced a run.
"When (Price) came back out for the second, he was much more assertive," Farrell said. "There was much more crispness, power, execution. ... From the fifth through the eighth, that's as good as we've seen in quite a while."
Atlanta made it 4-2 with a run in the fourth inning. With the bases loaded, Wisler delivered a long sacrifice fly that almost got over the head of right fielder Mookie Betts and scored Francoeur.
Boston got the run back in the fifth. Dustin Pedroia doubled, went to third on a long fly and scored on a wild pitch.
The Braves had eight hits, but failed to hit a home run for the 15th consecutive game, setting an Atlanta-era record. The drought is the longest since 1946.
"We're not all of a sudden going to be the bombers," Gonzalez said. "We've got a good approach at the plate to get singles. The home run stuff, you can't teach that. It's not drills or extra work for the power. I like our approach and I hope our guys stay with the approach."
Gonzalez refused to make excuses for his team's lack of production, even though they have faced some of the top pitchers in the league during the first month of the season.
"The quality of pitching is good, but we've got quality hitters, too," Gonzalez said. "We've got professional hitters, also. Not everybody is Cy Young and sometimes you've got to beat Cy Young."
NOTES: Boston RHP Carson Smith (right flexor) had a bullpen session on Tuesday and is scheduled to pitch Friday and Saturday. He could return as soon as Tuesday in Chicago. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (right knee) pitched a five-inning simulated game on Saturday and is scheduled to take the mound for Class A Salem on Thursday. He could make two or three starts before being ready to return. Both have been on the disabled list since April 3. ... Atlanta OF Ender Inciarte (hamstring) is ready to return. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said the staff will meet with doctors to determine the plan for Inciarte, who might be able to return in the next 7-10 days. ... Atlanta rookie Aaron Blair was named the International League's Pitcher of the week for April 18-24, when he worked seven no-hit innings and struck out 10 for Triple-A Gwinnett. ... The final two games of the series move to Boston for games on Wednesday and Thursday. Pitching matchups for Wednesday are Atlanta RHP Bud Norris (1-3, 6.75 ERA) against Boston RHP Steven Wright (1-2, 1.40). Wright has made seven straight starts without allowing more than two earned runs.
