BOSTON (Interstat) — Ronald Acuña Jr. broke out of a slump with a grand slam in the sixth inning, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 10-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday evening at Fenway Park.

The Braves, who had lost four of their previous five games including an 8-0 shutout by the Red Sox the afternoon before, improved to 38-19. Boston dropped to 23-32.

Acuña Jr. entered the game hitless in his last 13 at-bats dating to May 23. He finished 1-for-3 with the grand slam, his third homer of the season, and four RBIs. He also drew two walks.

The game was scoreless through three innings as both starters worked effectively. Atlanta starter Chris Sale, a former Boston ace, pitched five innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out eight. He improved to 8-3. Boston starter Payton Tolle matched him for much of the afternoon, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing five hits and two earned runs with seven strikeouts, but took the loss, falling to 0-2.

Atlanta broke through in the fourth inning. Matt Olson led off with a single. Ozzie Albies doubled, putting runners at second and third. After two outs, Jorge Mateo singled to second baseman Nick Sogard, with the ball deflected by Tolle, scoring Olson. Dominic Smith followed with a single to left that brought home Albies, giving Atlanta a 2-0 lead.

Boston answered in the bottom of the fourth. Isiah Kiner-Falefa walked. Caleb Durbin doubled to left, scoring Kiner-Falefa. Jarren Duran singled to left, plating Durbin, tying the game at 2-2.

The decisive rally came in the sixth inning. Michael Harris II led off with a bunt single. Mateo walked. Smith walked, loading the bases. Mike Yastrzemski, pinch-hitting for Sandy León, walked, forcing in Harris and giving Atlanta a 3-2 lead. Acuña Jr. then launched a 2-1 pitch to left-center field for a grand slam, his first home run since May 12, extending the lead to 7-2.

Harris later added a solo home run in the seventh inning, his 13th of the season, making it 8-2.

Atlanta tacked on two more runs in the ninth. Olson led off with a double. Albies followed with a home run to center field, his ninth, scoring Olson for the final margin.

Albies finished 3-for-5 with the two-run homer and two RBIs. Harris was 2-for-5 with a homer and an RBI. Olson doubled and singled in five at-bats. Mateo doubled and singled, drove in a run and scored twice.

Atlanta’s bullpen held Boston scoreless over the final four innings. Reynaldo López pitched two innings, allowing one hit and striking out none. Dylan Dodd struck out two in a perfect eighth. Tyler Kinley gave up one hit in a scoreless ninth.

Boston’s offense managed eight hits. Durbin doubled and singled, driving in a run. Duran had two hits and an RBI. Wilyer Abreu doubled. Willson Contreras walked twice and was hit by a pitch. Ceddanne Rafaela doubled.

The game lasted 2 hours, 55 minutes before an announced crowd of 30,901.

Atlanta’s pitching staff combined for 26 strikes, 57 balls and 26 balls in play. Boston’s pitchers recorded 21 strikes, 47 balls and 21 balls in play.

The victory evened the four-game series at one win apiece. Atlanta had won the first meeting of the series Tuesday 7-6 before dropping Wednesday’s contest 8-0.

The Braves continue their road trip Friday at Cincinnati. The Red Sox travel to Cleveland for a three-game series starting Friday.

Acuña Jr.’s performance was a welcome sight for Atlanta manager Brian Snitker’s club after the star right fielder had gone 0-for-3 Wednesday, 1-for-5 Tuesday, 0-for-3 May 24 and 0-for-4 May 23. He also had a walk in the third inning and another in the fifth before his grand slam.

Sale, who spent seven seasons with Boston from 2017 to 2023, earned his eighth win of the season. He scattered six hits, walked two and struck out eight over five innings. He threw 57 pitches, 26 for strikes. He allowed the two runs in the fourth on Durbin’s double and Duran’s single.

Tolle gave up five hits and two runs over 4 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out seven. He threw 47 pitches, 21 for strikes. He was relieved by Jovani Morán, who pitched two innings, allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts. Tyron Guerrero faced one batter in the sixth, giving up a hit but no runs.

Atlanta’s bullpen was effective. López, Dodd and Kinley combined for four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.

Boston’s defense turned several routine plays but could not contain the Braves’ sixth-inning outburst. The Red Sox had won three of their previous four games before Thursday’s loss.

The game featured no errors and no runners caught stealing beyond a caught stealing of Contreras in the fifth inning.

Atlanta outhit Boston 11-8. The Braves had five extra-base hits: two doubles by Albies and Olson, a double by Mateo, and home runs by Acuña Jr., Harris and Albies. Boston had three doubles: Abreu, Rafaela and Durbin, and four singles.

The Braves scored in four innings: two in the fourth, five in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the ninth. Boston’s two runs came in the fourth.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Atlanta Braves 5, Boston Red Sox 3. Interstat’s ELO system gave Atlanta a 53.00 percent probability to win. Atlanta was a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total of 12 runs went under the over-under line of 7.