All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 10-3 win over the Athletics, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
The Red Sox’ offense continued to feast on the Athletics’ pitching scoring 10 runs off 15 hits en route to a 10-3 win at Fenway Park on Saturday afternoon.
Jarren Duran collected three hits (3-for-5), with a double a homer and three RBI. He opened the game with a single into left-center field off A’s hurler Austin Pruitt and promptly stole second. Justin Turner’s rocket line drive off the top of the Green Monster scored Duran and the Sox' first run of the game.
Alex Verdugo was 2-for-4 with a two-run blast over the Pesky Pole in the first inning to make it 3-0. He finished the game with two RBI and has five RBI in his last five games played.
"Please be ... fair." pic.twitter.com/I22MWw7hHf
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 8, 2023
James Paxton earned his fifth win (5-1) after tossing six strong innings. He allowed two runs, both homers, on six hits while striking out three.
Manny Piña and Brent Rooker both homered off Paxton.
Paxton recorded his fifth quality start in his last six games and has allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his last 10 starts. Since the beginning of June, Paxton has posted a 1.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and opponents are only hitting .185 against him
Brandon Walter earned a three-inning save, the first of his career. He gave up three hits, an unearned run and struck out three, throwing 35 pitches, 27 for strikes.
TURNING POINT
The Sox scored seven runs from the second to the sixth inning off the Athletics.
Duran went opposite field for a two-run homer, his fifth of the season in the second inning to make it 5-0.
If nobody got me... pic.twitter.com/xeYVWCqgFw
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 8, 2023
Connor Wong added a sacrifice fly in the third inning to plate a run expanding the Sox lead to 6-1.
Boston continued to smack the ball around in the fourth inning. Masataka Yoshida doubled over the Red Sox bullpen and then scored on a Rafael Devers double making it 7-1.
In the fifth inning, Christian Arroyo doubled, then scored after Duran collected his third hit of the game, a ground run double into the right field stands. Yoshida added an RBI single to make it 9-1. Arroyo’s double in the sixth inning added another run for the Sox, expanding their lead to 10-2.
TWO UP
Duran has been one of the hottest hitters in the Red Sox lineup over the last 21 games. He’s hitting .410 (25-for-61) with 13 extra-base hits, and has seven RBI. The 26-year-old fell a triple short of hitting for the cycle. His stolen base in the first inning was his 17th of the season.
Turner went 1-for-3 with an RBI single. The designated hitter owns an eight-game hitting streak and has knocked in 11 RBI over the stretch.
FINAL GAME BEFORE THE ALL-STAR BREAK
The Sox will start Tayler Scott (0-0, 7.71 ERA) in the series finale against the Athletics. Cora is expected to use both Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen in the game as well, meanwhile, the A’s will start left-hander JP Sears (1-6, 4.09 ERA). First pitch is at 1:35 p.m. and can be seen on NESN and heard on 93.7 WEEI FM.
Boston will be off for four days before resuming the regular season on Friday at Wrigley Field. The Sox will play a three-game series against the Cubs and will pitch Brayan Bello, James Paxton and Kutter Crawford in the series.