Wilyer Abreu broke out of a quiet stretch Wednesday, going 1-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base in Boston's 8-0 win over Atlanta. His single in the six-run fourth inning drove in two runners in scoring position and gave the Red Sox a burst they had been waiting to see from the No. 3 hitter.
The game mattered because it was Abreu's first multiple-RBI night since March 29, and it came after he had managed just two RBI over the previous 14 contests. Boston kept him in a premium spot in the order, but the production had not matched the opportunities, especially with runners on base.
That has been the friction around Abreu for weeks. He entered Wednesday batting.220 with runners in scoring position, a number that underscored how often chances had gone begging even while he was coming up with men aboard. The single against Atlanta was the kind of swing that can change the tone of a box score, but one game does not erase the stretch that preceded it.
What comes next is the real test for Boston and for Abreu. If the No. 3 spot keeps putting him in the middle of rallies, the Red Sox need more nights like this one to make the role matter. For now, Wednesday gave them a clean answer in one game and left the bigger question hanging over the next.
