All you need to know about the Red Sox' 6-3 win over the A's, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Defense plays a part: When a team has lost four in a row and is desperate for a win, sometimes it's the little things that matter most. Defensively, the Red Sox got a huge game-saving play from their backup shortstop Brock Holt, which came, ironically, immediately after a pair of defensive miscues on the part of the Red Sox. In a 3-3 game in the bottom of the eighth, A's shortstop Marcus Semien tried to steal second. Blake Swihart, getting his second start behind the plate, threw down, but the throw tailed to the second base bag and rolled into center, with a throwing error on Swihart. Jackie Bradley Jr. charged the ball and appeared to have a play at third, but juggled the ball on the transfer, then fumbled it out of his glove, enabling Semien to reach third, representing the go-ahead run. Ramon Laureano then hit a ball into the shortstop hole, which Holt fielded, and off-balance, made a strong throw to first. Laureano was initially ruled safe, but the Sox challenged and got the call reversed, ending the inning. The Sox then went on to score three in the top of the ninth to snap the tie, but the game would have unfolded far differently had Holt not made that play.
https://twitter.com/RedSoxCLNS/status/1113666736237236225
Betts has his first MVP moment of the season: Mookie Betts has begun the year slowly at the plate. He had a homer in Seattle and a three-hit performance on Opening Day. In fact, as he came to the plate in the ninth, he was 1-for-11 in this series. But Betts fought off a number of tough changeups from ageless wonder Fernando Rodney before turning on a pitch down the third base line. Just as all-world infielder Matt Chapman looked poised to make the play, the ball hit the third base bag, kicked up and bounded past Chapman into shallow left, scoring Blake Swihart and Bradley with the go-ahead runs. It was the kind of moment that Betts seemed to specialize in during his historic season last year and qualifies as his first impact contribution this season. For a struggling team, it couldn't have been better-timed, even if it was a bit fortuitous.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1113672982197678080
Eovaldi struggles again: Nathan Eovaldi had a sub-par outing, falling behind 3-0 and lasting just five innings, by which time his 96 pitches forced the Sox to go to the bullpen earlier than planned. Eovaldi had real difficulty with his command walking four in just five innings while also hitting a batter. His velocity was ramped up as always (97-98 mph with his fastball), but too often, Eovaldi couldn't keep the ball in the strike zone. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases in the second and a line single that literally took Rafael Devers' glove off scored one run, while a poorly executed curveball in the fourth to Laureano resulted in a two-run homer. In three of his first four innings, Eovaldi threw more than 20 pitches, making for a short night and though seven games, the Red Sox have just one quality start from a starter.
TURNING POINT
The Red Sox got handed a gift by Oakland second baseman Jurickson Profar in the sixth inning. With a runner at first and one out in the fifth, Devers had a routine grounder to second, setting the A's up for a simple 4-6-3 double play. But Profar overthrew second base wildly, and the Sox had runners at the corners with one out instead of being out of the inning. Two batters later, Mitch Moreland ripped a two-run double to the right-field corner -- courtesy, partly, of Profar.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1113653378935066625
TWO UP
Blake Swihart: Although he had the potentially costly throwing error, Swihart enjoyed a big night at the plate. He homered in the fifth to snap the team's scoreless streak at 22 innings, then singled in the seventh and singled again in the ninth, part of the Red Sox' three-run rally.
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1113647849097580545
Mitch Moreland: You could make the case that, through the first seven games of the season, Moreland has provided the two biggest hits of the season to date for the Sox. He delivered a three-run, pinch-hit homer in Seattle to give the Sox their only win from that series, then provided the game-tying double Wednesday night, giving the Sox a chance to win the game later.
TWO DOWN
Eduardo Nunez: Nunez very nearly cost the Sox in a big way when he got caught too far off first base following a leadoff single in the ninth.
Jackie Bradley Jr.: He had a single to keep the ninth inning going, but previously, was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and also had that poorly timed juggle in the outfield on the stolen base by Semien.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Hoping it would hit the base -- that's pretty much the only way to get the ball by Chapman.'' Mookie Betts on his go-ahead ninth-inning double.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Sox bullpen continues to get the job done and has allowed just three runs over their last 22 innings.
- The triple by Andrew Benintendi in the ninth, which produced an insurance run, was his first extra-base hit of the season.
- Ryan Brasier earned his first career save in the ninth inning.
- J.D. Martinez singled in the second to extend his hitting streak to seven straight.