Game two of the three-game series between the Athletics and the Boston Red Sox took place tonight at historic Fenway Park in Boston. Taking the mound tonight for the A’s was 24-year-old rookie Mason Barnett. He faced off against 31-year-old righty Lucas Giolito.
The Red Sox got on the board first after Trevor Story reached on a fielders choice, moved to second on a passed ball and then scored when Masataka Yoshida singled to right fielder Carlos Cortes. At the end of one, the Sox led, 1-0.
With one
out in the top of the second, Lawrence Butler singled to right field. Then Carlos Cortes doubled off the Green Monster, moving Butler to third. Darrel Hernaiz drove in the first A’s run of the game on a sacrifice fly to deep right field. Butler’s run tied the game 1-1.
The game didn’t stay tied up for long as Rob Refsnyder homered on Barnett’s second pitch of the second inning.
Barnett pitched himself into and out of trouble in the third. A single by Duran, a wild pitch moving him over and then a walk to Trevor Story seemed like a recipe for disaster, but he regained his focus and ended the inning with a Gonzales strikeout to get out of trouble.
Shea Langeliers led off the top of the fifth with a base hit. Brent Rooker followed with a walk. Tyler Soderstrom grounded into a force out, but Jacob Wilson walked to load the bases with just one out. That was all for Giolito. Lawrence Butler worked a 3-2 count and eventually drew a walk to drive in a run and tie the score.
Colby Thomas struck out swinging for the second out. Darell Hernaiz singled off the glove of Red Sox second baseman Romy Gonzalez scoring both Soderstrom and Wilson and moving Butler to third. Headed to the bottom of the fifth, The A’s now led 4-2.
Ceddanne Rafaela singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Jarren Duran walked moving Rafaela to second. That was all for Barnett, who was replaced by Brady Basso. Hernaiz booted a sure double-play ball by Trevor story. That loaded the bases. Bregman popped out to Wilson at short. Yoshida grounded to Kurtz who tossed a beat too late to Basso at first. That scored one with just one out. Kotsay brought in Tyler Ferguson. He struck out Gonzales for the second out, but not until Dallas Braden caught his second foul ball in the booth this month. He followed that K with a strikeout of Rob Refsnyder to end the inning.
The Red Sox tied the score in the bottom of the sixth when Lowe and Duran and Story each singled, with Story’s single scoring Lowe to tie the score.
Yoshida reached on an error by Nick Kurtz on a tough bounce that made it past him into the outfield. He was replaced by pinch runner David Hamilton who promptly stole second. He moved to third on a fly out but was stranded there on a Carlos Narváez strikeout.
With two down in the top of the ninth, Tyler Soderstrom singled off Red Sox Closer Aroldis Chapman. Jacob Wilson followed with a single of his own, sending Soderstrom top third. But Butler popped out to left to end the inning. Elvis Alvarado remained in the game to pitch the ninth. He walked Bregman. Hamilton squibbed one back to Alvarado who made the play at first, moving Bregman to second with one out. Gonzales flew out to deep centerfield and thanks to solid catch and throw by Butler, held Bregman at second, now with two outs. Alvarado blew a 100mph 4-seam fastball past Refsnyder for strike three and the third out of the ninth, sending the game into extra innings.
Butler was the placed runner. Colby Thomas singled, moving Butler to third with no outs. Hernaiz struck out and Gelof popped out to the second baseman. Kurtz struck out also stranding the runners and handing the placed runner advantage back to the Sox.
Michael Kelly entered the game to pitch the tenth. Nate Eaton was the placed runner. Nathanial Lowe was intentionally walked. Carlos Narváez dropped a sacrifice bunt moving both runners up one. Sogard grounded to Gelof who made a strong throw home, but it was not in time and the Red Sox picked up their eleventh walk-off victory of the season 5-4 in ten. Kelly was saddled with the loss tonight. He’s now 4-4 on the season.
