Braves Complete Sweep of Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox couldn’t wait to see interleague play end. The Atlanta Braves, on the other hand, are sorry to see it go.

Keith Lockhart doubled in the game-winning run during a four-run 10th inning as the Braves beat the Red Sox, 7-3 Sunday, to sweep the three-game series at Fenway Park and win for the 10th time in 11 games.

For the season, Atlanta went 15-3 in interleague play. Boston finished 5-13.

“Those teams really stuck it to us,” said Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon, whose team lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Atlanta led, 3-0, before Brian Daubach, Trot Nixon and Nomar Garciaparra hit solo homers to tie the score.

Darren Bragg singled with one out in the 10th--his third hit of the day--and one out later Lockhart fouled off three pitches with two strikes on him before looping one down the right-field line to give the Braves the lead.

“It was a big hit,” Lockhart said. “It put us ahead and the guys followed behind us. That was certainly enough for this bullpen.”

Rafael Furcal made it 5-3 with a single on the 52nd pitch of the day from Ugueth Urbina (0-3), who is usually a one-inning closer.

Willie Banks yielded singles to Julio Franco and Gary Sheffield before Chipper Jones reached and Franco scored when Banks botched a throw to first.

Mike Remlinger (5-0) earned the victory with two strikeouts in one inning. The Braves won their 11th consecutive series and improved to 12-3 in the interleague era in Boston, the franchise’s home for its first five decades before it moved to Milwaukee and then Atlanta.

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*--* Not Out of Their League Best single-season interleague records through Sunday: Club Year W L Pct Oakland 2002 16 2 889 Atlanta 2002 15 3 833 Yankees 1998 13 3 813 Florida 1997 12 3 800 Houston 1999 12 3 800 Montreal 1997 12 3 800 San Diego 1999 11 4 733 Cleveland 2000 13 5 722 Dodgers 2002 12 6 667 Montreal 2002 12 6 667

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