The Boston Red Sox’s stay in Oakland didn’t start well, as they dropped Game 1 of their four-game set against the Athletics 8-3.
Hector Velazquez, who was making his Major League Baseball debut for the Sox on the mound, struggled over five innings of work, and Boston’s bats couldn’t put together a comeback at Oakland Coliseum.
With the win, the A’s improved to 18-23, while the Red Sox fell to 21-19.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Ugly.
Velazquez had a rough game, as he allowed six earned runs over five innings.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
The Athletics got to Velazquez for three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. The A’s never looked back after they had that big inning at the plate.
ON THE BUMP
— Velazquez’s debut didn’t start well, as he allowed two home runs before he recorded his second out. Jed Lowrie and Khris Davis both took him deep in the first inning, giving Oakland a 3-2 lead.
Velazquez held the A’s scoreless in the second and third innings, but they got to him again in the fourth. Trevor Plouffe doubled in Ryon Healy to put Oakland back in front, and Chad Pinder gave the home team even more of a cushion with a two-run home run, which was the third long ball Velazquez allowed.
His final stat line: Five innings, nine hits, six earned runs, two walks, four strikeouts, three home runs and a 10.80 ERA.
— Robbie Ross Jr. also struggled when he came on in relief for the sixth inning. Adam Rosales and Rajai Davis both drove in runs off Ross.
— Matt Barnes struck out five over two scoreless innings of work.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Four of the Red Sox’s first six batters reached base, including Hanley Ramirez, who drove in the Sox’s first run with an RBI single to left field. Mookie Betts, who led off the game with a single, scored on the play. Dustin Pedroia later scored his team’s second run of the inning on a Chris Young sacrifice fly.
— Boston tied the game momentarily in the top of the fourth inning thanks to Mitch Moreland, who hit a home run to center field.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
Yikes.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will play Game 2 of their four-game series in Oakland on Friday night. Chris Sale is scheduled to take the mound for Boston opposite Oakland’s Kendall Graveman. First pitch is scheduled for 9:35 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Stan Szeto/USA TODAY Sports Images
