The Sox had a mini 4 game stint out on the west coast to take on the A’s before heading on back to Fenway. The Sox called up Hector Velazquez from Pawtucket for a spot start. Velazquez struggled out of the gate and ended up giving up 6 runs in his 5 innings of work. The Sox weren’t able to make up for it and the A’s easily took the series opener.
The Sox bats got all over A’s starting pitcher Sonny Gray early in the game last night. They scored two runs off him when Ramirez hit an RBI single and then Young hit an RBI sac fly. Sox 2-0. Unfortunately the same could be said for the A’s when Velazquez took the mound in the bottom of the 1st. Velazquez gave up a game tying 2 run homer to former Sox Jed Lowrie and then gave up the go ahead run with a solo home run to Davis. Sox 2-3. The Sox tied the game up in the top of the 4th when Mitch Moreland hit a lead off home run against Gray. Sox 3-3. The A’s wasted no time in getting the lead right back though as they scored 3 runs off of Velazquez in the bottom of the inning. Velazquez gave an RBI double to Plouffe and then a 2 run homer to Pinder. Sox 3-6.
Velazquez was done after 5 innings and the rest of the game would be in the hands of the already taxed bullpen. Velazquez’s pitching line for the night was 101 pitches, 5 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 2 BB and 4 Ks. Robbie Ross came out for the bottom of the 6th and would give up the final two runs of the game. Ross gave up an RBI single to Rosales and then an RBI groundout to Davis. Sox 3-8. Matt Barnes pitched two scoreless innings to finish the game out, however the Sox offense wasn’t able to scrap together and more runs, so it was an easy win for the A’s.
Red Sox 3 Athletics 8 BOXSCORE
WP: Gray (1-1) LP: Velazquez (0-1)
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