The Boston Red Sox had looked listless this weekend in Oakland, but Sunday was a new day.
The Red Sox’s offense scored early and often at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in a 12-3 win over the Athletics to avoid a four-game sweep.
Boston set the tone early by scoring two runs in the first inning off A’s starter Andrew Triggs, and pounded the A’s bullpen, as every member of the Red Sox lineup collected at least one hit in the 15-hit barrage.
Eduardo Rodriguez was stellar for Boston, tossing eight strong innings and giving the bullpen a much-needed day off.
The Red Sox improved to 22-21, while the A’s fell to 20-24 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down.
GAME IN A WORD
Aggressive.
Having lost the first three games of the series to the A’s, the Red Sox played with a sense of urgency Sunday. Boston stole four bases and used its smart base running to pressure the A’s into multiple defensive mistakes that led to runs.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Mitch Moreland hit his third home run in as many games during the sixth inning.
The two-run blast gave the Red Sox a three-run lead and the A’s never threatened after that as Rodriguez retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez was brilliant for most of his outing. The 24-year-old left-hander tossed eight innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking one. It was Rodriguez’s longest outing of the season and his longest since the last time he pitched in Oakland on Sept. 4 of last season.
The A’s struck first in the second inning when Chad Pinder laced a two-out double to left-center field. Josh Phegley followed with an RBI single to center field to trim the Red Sox’s lead to one.
Pinder struck again in the fourth inning when he launched a two-run homer to give the A’s a one-run lead.
That was all the A’s would be able to muster off the young lefty as Rodriguez sat down 14 of the final 15 batters he faced after the home run by Pinder.
— Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox jumped on the A’s early by posting a two-spot in the first inning. Mookie Betts led off the game with a walk and Dustin Pedroia followed by stroking a single to right field. Betts took second on the single, but when A’s right fielder Mark Canha’s throw skipped past the shortstop and into left field, he was able to come all the way around to score the first run of the game. Pedroia scored two batters later on an Andrew Benintendi sacrifice fly.
— Christian Vazquez got a fifth-inning rally started by leading off with a single against Triggs. The Red Sox catcher stole second and scooted to third on a throwing error by Phegley. Betts plated Vazquez with a single to right to tie the game.
Betts scored from first on a perfectly executed hit-and-run. He was off with the pitch and Pedroia ripped a single to left-center field that allowed him to take third. The Red Sox right fielder never stopped running, though, and once left fielder Khris Davis bobbled the ball, Betts raced home to give Boston a one-run lead.
— Moreland extended the Red Sox’s lead to three with a two-run home run off Triggs in the sixth inning.
— The Red Sox scored again in the eighth inning when Jackie Bradley Jr. led off the frame with a double to left field. He moved to third on a flyout by Vazquez and scored on a groundout by Deven Marrero.
— Hanley Ramirez drove in Xander Bogaerts and Benintendi with a double in the ninth inning to grow the Red Sox’s lead to six. Bradley Jr. chased him home with an RBI single to make it a seven-run game. Vazquez kept the party going with an RBI double to right field to score Bradley Jr., and scored himself on a single by Marrero.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Big Papi is enjoying retirement.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox will take the diamond again Tuesday when they welcome the Texas Rangers to Fenway Park for a three-game series. Rick Porcello will take the hill for Boston and will be opposed by Andrew Cashner for Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Neville E. Guard/USA TODAY Sports Images
