Braves end 8-game slide, beat Red Sox behind Markakis

Atlanta Braves’ Nick Markakis, right, drops his bat as he follows through on a two RBI single off Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Clay Buchholz during the second inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Thursday, April 28, 2016. At left is Boston Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez. AP

BOSTON — The Atlanta Braves ended an eight-game losing streak, beating the Boston Red Sox 5-3 Thursday night as Nick Markakis had three singles, a double and three RBIs.

Mallex Smith doubled twice and had an RBI single for the Braves, a big league-worst 5-17. Atlanta won for the first time since April 19 and avoided being swept by the Red Sox in the interleague series, which included two games in each city.

Jhoulys Chachin (1-1) gave up two runs and six hits in five-plus innings to win for the first time since signing with the Braves as a free agent in December. Five pitchers combined for four-hit relief, with Arodys Vizcaino getting three outs for his second save.

Boston’s Hanley Ramirez had an RBI single in the first and drove in another with a double in the third. The Red Sox didn’t score again until Dustin Pedroia’s RBI single with two outs in the ninth.

Clay Buchholz (0-3) allowed five runs, eight hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings, raising his ERA to 6.51.

Markakis led off the game with a double, then singled in a pair of runs in a three-run third, when Smith had an RBI double. Markakis’ single made it 4-1 in the fourth.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Braves: RHP Bud Norris (1-4, 8.74 ERA) may come out of the rotation before his next scheduled start. Norris lasted just 1 1/3 innings Wednesday. “We’re still hashing through that and talking though that kind of stuff to see what’s best for him, and what’s best for us,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “But I think the No. 1 priority is to get him fixed.”

Red Sox: LF Brock Holt was out of the starting lineup after going 1 for 12 in the first three games against the Braves and failing to reach base for the first time this season on Wednesday. Holt pinch hit for Chris Young in the eighth inning Thursday and grounded out.

UP NEXT

Braves: RHP Aaron Blair (0-1, 5.06 ERA) is set to start for the Braves when they open a weekend series at Chicago against Cubs’ LHP Jon Lester (2-1, 1.98).

Red Sox: LHP Henry Owens (0-0, 8.10) makes his second start of the season as the Red Sox open a three-game series against the Yankees. RHP Mashiro Tanaka (1-0, 2.92) gets the start for New York.