All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' loss to the A's, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Story in a rut: It would be difficult to have a worse day than Trevor Story. At the plate, he was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and saw his batting average dip to .219. But he also had trouble in the field. In the third inning, Story drifted back into center field and called a pop-up. But the ball kept drifting and fell just out of his reach. Soon after, the A's scored three runs in that inning. "It just kind of drifted on me. The wind was a little more than I thought above the stadium and I just kind of misjudged it a bit.'' In fairness, Story didn't get any help from center fielder Jarren Duran, who was playing deep and didn't come in on the ball. "It was kind of in no-man's land a little bit. I probably should have done a better job getting out there and taking command of it, but it was just kind of one of those in-betweeners.''
Hill gives Sox a chance: Veteran lefty Rich Hill took the Sox into the sixth inning before being lifted with two outs. He was charged with four runs, but only three were unearned. And thanks to the ball that Story couldn't handle in shallow center, the earned runs scored against him weren't exactly his fault. Nonetheless, Hill, as one of the more accountable players on the team, took the responsibility. "It falls on me. We lost the game because of me,'' said Hill, who dropped to 2-4. "I take full responsibility for it. I've got to pitch better.'' Of the three-run third, in which all three runs scored after the ball dropped into center, Hill wasn't cutting himself any slack. "It's frustrating as a pitcher,'' he said in reference to plays not being made, "but I've got to make better pitches.''
Hit batsman pile up: Rafael Devers was struck near the elbow on a pitch by A.J. Puk in the eighth inning, but remained in the game. The pitch struck Rafael Devers near where he was hit in Seattle over the weekend, and highlighted the fact that the Sox hitters have been hit 11 times in the last 13 games, which is frustrating for Cora. "We don't like it,'' said Cora. "We don't like it. It's been a lot. Obviously, it's one of those where I'm not going to put the opposition in jeopardy, but it's been a lot. And it's been happening for a while.'' Cora didn't believe the Devers pitch was intentional, but reiterated that he's tired of his guys being plunked -- accidentally or not. "I don't think they're hitting Raffy on purpose there,'' he said. "I don't think they hit J.D. (Martinez) or Raffy in Seattle on purpose. They have to push guys off the plate, we know that. But we've been hitting a lot.''
TURNING POINT
Where to start? The Red Sox had a handful of scoring opportunities throughout the afternoon, but couldn't produce the big hit. They stranded 13 baserunners for the game. But the fourth-inning squander stands apart from all the rest. Trailing 3-1, the Sox, after two outs, used a single, double and intentional walk to fill the bases for J.D. Martinez. But Oakland starter Paul Blackburn got Martinez on a soft comebacker to the mound, ending the threat. Had Martinez produced a hit, the Red Sox would have tied the game and likely chased Blackburn from the game. Instead, they came away emptyhanded and Blackburn pitched into the sixth inning.
TWO UP
Boston bullpen: Ultimately, it couldn't save the Sox, but four Red Sox relievers combined for 10 outs while allowing just one baserunner - a one-out double in the eighth inning.
J.D. Martinez: Martinez had a three-hit afternoon and, in driving in the third Red Sox run of the game, supplied the only base hit for the Sox with runners in scoring position.
TWO DOWN
Alex Verdugo: After a big night Wednesday with a homer and four RBI, Verdugo took a step backward at the plate, going hitless in five plate appearances in the loss.
Rafael Devers: Though he reached base four times (despite no hits), this wasn't the best showcase for Devers, who committed a big error that led to the fourth Oakland run.
QUOTE OF NOTE:
"It's going to happen. We've been playing some good baseball. We're not going to be perfect. We had our chances at the end. It is what it is.'' Alex Cora on the loss.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* Bogaerts extended his hitting streak to nine games.
* Martinez had three hits, the sixth time this season he's had three or more in a game.
* The Sox outscored the A's 39-9 in the season series.
* Devers is tied for the major league lead in runs scored with 53.
* The A's scored runs in just four of 27 innings this series.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox begin a weekend interleague series with the St. Louis Cardinals Friday at 7:10 p.m., with RHP Michael Wacha (4-1, 2.33) vs. RHP Adam Wainright (5-4, 2.84)