The Red Sox had lost 3 straight to the A’s and came into Sunday’s game hoping for a decent outing from Eduardo Rodriguez and some support from the offense. They got better then they hoped for with 8 strong innings from ERod and an offense that exploded for 12 runs over 9 innings. It has been a lackluster showing as of late, but hopefully this win will carry over when they head home to Boston to face the red hot Rangers.
The Sox bats got out to an early lead when they scored two runs off A’s pitcher Triggs in the 1st. Pedroia hit a single and then Betts came home on a throwing error and then Benintendi hit an RBI sac fly to score Pedroia. Sox 2-0. The Sox have gone on to a 2-0 lead in each of the previous three games and then lost the lead during the game. Yesterday would be no different, however the outcome would be. The A’s got one of those runs back in the bottom of the 2nd when Phegley hit an RBI single to center. Sox 2-1. The A’s then took the lead in the 4th when Pinder hit a 2 run homer off of Rodriguez. Sox 2-3.
The difference is that the Sox took no time getting their lead back and then holding onto it. Betts and Pedroia both hit RBI singles in the top of the 5th to have the Sox back up on top. The Sox would not lose this lead again and would keep adding on as the game went on. In the 6th the Sox added two when Mitch Moreland hit a 2 run home run. This is the third consecutive game that Moreland has hit a homer. To say he likes hitting in Oakland would be an understatement. In the 8th the Sox grabbed one more run when Marrero hit an RBI groundout to score Jackie Bradley Jr. Sox 8-3.
While the Sox bats were getting all over the A’s pitching, Eduardo Rodriguez was shutting the A’s bat down on the other side. He also was keeping his pitch count down which is something the taxed bullpen desperately needed. ERod finished after 8 innings and if the game wasn’t so lopsided, he probably would have gone out for the 9th. Rodriguez’s pitching line for the afternoon was 98 pitches, 8 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB and 8 Ks.
The Sox offense wasn’t done yet though. They tacked on 5 more runs in the top of the 9th to put no question about this game. Hanley Ramirez hit a 2 run RBI double, Bradley hit an RBI single, Vazquez hit an RBI double and then Marrero finished the inning off with an RBI single. Sox 12-3. Every single member of the Sox lineup got at least one hit in the game yesterday. Both Hanley Ramirez and Christian Vazquez had three hits on the afternoon. It was a much needed outbreak from a slumping offense. Matt Barnes came out in the bottom of the 9th and had an easy 1-2-3 inning to put this game to bed.
Red Sox 12 Athletic 3 BOXSCORE
WP: Rodriguez (3-1) LP: Triggs (5-3)
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