The Boston Red Sox haven’t been able to figure out the Oakland Athletics.
Boston came into Tuesday’s game at Fenway Park sporting a 1-3 record against the A’s so far this season, and they were unable to improve it, falling 5-3 to the American League West foe.
Severe thunderstorms delayed the start of the game for almost two hours, but it didn’t take long for the A’s to get on the board against starter Eduardo Rodriguez. Oakland scored three times in the first two innings and A’s starter Daniel Mengden silenced the Red Sox’s bats, tossing six strong innings and surrendering only one earned run.
Boston strung together a rally in the ninth inning, getting the potential tying run to the plate, but Hanley Ramirez grounded out to end the game.
With the loss, the Red Sox fall to 28-14, while the A’s improve to 21-21.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Puzzling.
For the second straight start, Mengden baffled the Red Sox as Oakland continues to give Boston fits.
ON THE BUMP
— Rodriguez struggled early on, but he settled down to turn in a respectable start. The left-hander tossed five innings, allowing three runs on six while striking out four and walking none.
The A’s got to Rodriguez early, as they led off the game with back-to-back singles. It looked like the lefty would be able to wiggle out of the jam, but Matt Chapman smoked a double to deep right to score two. Chapman took third on an error by Eduardo Nunez, but Rodriguez got out of the inning without further damage.
Oakland tacked on another run in the second when Stephen Piscotty launched a solo home run over the Green Monster to make it 3-0. It was Piscotty’s first at-bat back since his mother’s celebration of life, and he tapped his heart as he crossed home plate. Gretchen Piscotty passed away after a battle with ALS on May 6.
Rodriguez settled down after the second inning, tossing three straight scoreless frames before giving way to the bullpen.
— Steven Wright tossed scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh innings but left in the eighth after giving up back-to-back singles with one out. The knuckleballer gave up two runs on two hits while striking out one and walking three in 2 1/3 innings.
— Bobby Poyner came in and surrendered a two-run double to Mark Canha that made it 5-2. Both runs were charged to Wright.
— Brian Johnson recorded a scoreless ninth.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Boston put a rally together in the first, but the Red Sox’s base running kept them from eating into the A’s lead. Andrew Benintendi and J.D. Martinez each got aboard with a single. Xander Bogaerts then reached on an infield single, but Benintendi overran third base and was tagged out to end the inning.
— The Red Sox finally got on the board in the fourth inning. Martinez reached on an error to open the frame and moved to third on a single by Bogaerts. Mitch Moreland then rolled a ground ball to first base to score Martinez and cut the A’s lead to 3-1.
— Benintendi launched a solo home run in the fifth inning to trim the lead to one. The outfielder went 3-for-5 with an RBI.
— Boston started to rally in the ninth. Rafael Devers reached on a dropped third strike to open the inning and Brock Holt followed with a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Mookie Betts followed with an RBI groundout to make it 5-3. A’s closer Blake Treinen buckled down, though, retiring Benintendi ad Ramirez to end the game.
— Bogaerts and Moreland each recorded two hits.
— Ramirez and Martinez each notched one hit apiece.
— Christian Vazquez, Betts, Devers and Nunez all went hitless.
TWEET OF THE GAME
We are all #TeamGretchen.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and A’s will finish their three-game series Wednesday night. Chris Sale will get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by Trevor Cahill. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
