The Boston Red Sox refuse to be swept this season.
Boston has struggled with Oakland Athletics this season, as they entered the game with a 1-4 record against the American League West club after dropping the first two games of the current three-game series.
But with five strong innings from Chris Sale and home runs from J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts, the Red Sox were able to secure a 6-4 win in the rubber match.
With the win, the Red Sox climb to 29-14, while the A’s fall to 21-22.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Refreshing.
It was a full-team effort Wednesday, as the Red Sox executed in every aspect of the game to conquer an A’s team that had given them fits all season.
ON THE BUMP
— Sale lasted only five innings on the night, but he made them count, fanning nine batters in the process.
Sale didn’t have his best command Wednesday, but he only surrendered one hit through the first four innings — an infield single by Marcus Semien to lead off the game. The second hit he gave up came four innings later and was a little louder, as Semien cranked a two-run home run in the fifth to cut Boston’s lead to 3-2.
The lefty finished the fifth before manager Alex Cora went to the bullpen due to Sale having thrown 102 pitches on the night.
— Matt Barnes took the mound in relief of Sale in the sixth and pitched a scoreless frame that included two strikeouts.
— Heath Hembree came in the for the seventh and didn’t have quite the luck Barnes did. The right-handed reliever surrendered a solo shot to Matt Joyce that just made it into the Boston bullpen to cut the Red Sox’s lead to three.
— Joe Kelly recorded a scoreless eighth inning.
— Craig Kimbrel came in for the ninth and gave up a home run to Matt Olson to begin the inning, but he retired the next three batters in order.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— The Red Sox plated three runs in the first, two of them coming as a result of Martinez’s 12th home run of the season.
Mookie Betts led the inning off with a double and Andrew Benintendi ripped a single to right. Hanley Ramirez grounded into a fielder’s choice to push Betts across the plate for the 1-0 lead.
That’s when Martinez smashed his two-run homer into the stands in center field.
— Oakland appeared to be on the comeback trail, but the Sox put them to bed in the sixth when Bogaerts hammered a three-run home run over the Green Monster to make it 6-2.
Boston threatened to do more damage in the frame, putting two on with two out and Betts at the dish. The right fielder hit the ball down the right field line, but A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty made a highlight-reel catch that landed him in the first row of the stands.
— Mitch Moreland and Rafael Devers both went hitless on the night.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Not a bad pace to be on.
UP NEXT
Boston will welcome the Baltimore Orioles to Fenway Park on Thursday for a four-game set. David Price will take the hill and he’s set to oppose Kevin Gausman. First pitch is slated for 7:10 p.m. ET.
