Braves Complete Sweep of Red Sox

BOSTON —  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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