The Athletics faced the Boston Red Sox looking to even the series and force a rubber-game tomorrow. The A’s finally ended their nine-game losing streak, defeating the Red Sox 7-3. Starter Gage Jump turned in a terrific performance, the offense woke up against a good Red Sox pitcher and the bullpen sealed the deal, although not without some late-game drama.
Red Sox Strike Early
Jump, faced some early traffic, as the Red Sox got two runners on with one out in the bottom of the first. Following a double steal, shortstop
Andruw Monasterio hit a two out, two-run single to put the hosts up 2-0 early in the game. Boston had a chance to add on in the second, but Jump stranded a runner at second base.
Meanwhile, Red Sox starter Jake Bennett eased through three scoreless innings. He needed just two pitches to record the first two outs of the third, as Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy both swung at the first pitches they saw.
A’s Come Back
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson led off the fourth inning with a double, the visitors first hit against Bennett. With two outs, first baseman Tommy White hit an infield single, with Wilson holding at third base. Brian Serven followed with a high chopper in front of home plate that Bennett bobbled, allowing Wilson to score the visitors’ first run. Bennett kept his team in front by retiring Butler on a hard-hit lineout to end the inning.
With two outs in the fifth inning, Wilson hit his second double in as many at-bats, advancing Alika Williams to third. Designated hitter Jonah Heim hit a single off the Green Monster, driving in both runners and giving the A’s their first lead of the series. The Athletics had a chance to score more with two runners on, but Bennett got White to hit into an inning-ending groundout.
Pitching with the lead for the first time, Jump gave up a leadoff double to Jahmai Jones in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jump buckled down, stranding the tying run at third base. Through five innings, he had recorded a career-high tying nine strikeouts.
A’s Add On
In the sixth inning, with one out, Butler worked a walk after a 12 pitch at-bat. That was the last batter Bennett faced, as right-handed reliever Justin Slaten entered out of Boston’s bullpen.
Butler wasted no time, promptly stealing second and third. Jeff McNeil, who had walked as a pinch-hitter, moved to second on the double steal attempt. Fellow pinch-hitter Donovan Walton delivered, lining a ground-rule double into the gap to score both runners and put the A’s up 5-2.
Jump Dealing
The Red Sox threatened again in the bottom of the sixth, putting two runners on with one out against Jump. The A’s electric southpaw stopped the threat by striking out the next two batters to keep the visitors up three. Jump showcased his ace potential, allowing just two runs on six hits over six innings while striking out a career-high 11 batters.
Sodey Blast
The Athletics kept the good vibes going. Facing left-handed reliever Raymond Burgos, left fielder Tyler Soderstrom hit his 19th home run of the season and second in as many games, a solo shot to right field that put his team ahead 6-2.
A’s In Control
Right-hander Luis Medina replaced Jump in the seventh inning, firing a scoreless frame. In the bottom of the eighth, A’s reliever Seth Johnson ran into some trouble in his second appearance with the Green and Gold, allowing a walk and then a ground-rule double with two outs.
The A’s challenge on that hit proved huge, as it turned an RBI double into a ground-rule double, forcing the runner who had scored from first to return to third base. Left-hander Hogan Harris replaced Johnson and struck out Jarren Duran, stranding the two inherited runners.
Sensing the game still hung in the balance, A’s center fielder Henry Bolte led off the ninth inning with a 440-foot solo home run to center field, his fifth long ball of the season, increasing his team’s advantage to five runs.
Harris returned to the mound to pitch the bottom of the ninth, but the Red Sox did not go down quietly. With two outs, third baseman Caleb Durbin hit an RBI single, reducing the hosts’ deficit to four. Boston then loaded the bases against Harris, bringing the tying run to the plate. It would have been fitting had Harris allowed a game-tying grand slam. However, he earned his tenth save of the season by getting Eli White to hit a game-ending lineout right at Bolte.
Tomorrow, the Athletics will look to win their first series since June. J.T. Ginn will start the rubber match for the A’s, while Boston has yet to announce its starter, with signs pointing toward a bullpen game.
