Andruw Monasterio’s blast, Nick Sogard’s homecoming lift Red Sox over Athletics 4-2

After missing his connecting flight, spending the night in a Dallas hotel and arriving in Sacramento just hours before first pitch, Nick Sogard wasted little time making an impact.

Sogard delivered a game-tying RBI single in the sixth inning before Andruw Monasterio launched a go-ahead, two-run homer in the 10th to lift the Red Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Athletics Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park.

Boston improved to 56-51, while the Athletics fell to 45-63. With the win, the Red Sox remain in the second wild card spot in the American League leading the Cleveland Guardians by 1.5 games. 

Monasterio gave the Red Sox their first lead of the night when he hammered a 428-foot, two-run homer to left off reliever José Suárez in the top of the 10th. The infielder finished 3-for-5. Monasterio has been swinging a hot bat in the month of July, hitting .357 with three homers, eight RBI, and even doubles.

Greg Weissert then retired the Athletics in order in the bottom half, striking out two to record his first save of the season.

Boston nearly never made it to extra innings.

Lawrence Butler came within a few feet of ending the game in the ninth, driving a 385-foot double off Aroldis Chapman that stayed in the park. After Donovan Walton advanced Butler to third with a sacrifice bunt, Chapman struck out Jacob Wilson and Jeff McNeil swinging to preserve the 2-2 tie.

“We pitched exceptionally well in some very high-leverage moments today, that was certainly one of them,” interim manager Chad Tracy said.

The Red Sox received an unexpected boost from Sogard, who was recalled Tuesday after Curtis Mead fractured his left wrist.

Sogard learned Tuesday afternoon he was joining Boston from Triple-A Worcester, where the club was playing in Norfolk, Virginia. Flight delays forced him to spend the night in Dallas before he finally arrived in Sacramento around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

A few hours later, the Sacramento native tied the game.

Caleb Durbin opened the sixth with a single and alertly tagged from first to second on Romy Gonzalez's deep fly ball to right. Sogard followed with a line-drive RBI single to center, knotting the game at 2-2.

Patrick Sandoval kept Boston within striking distance despite allowing a pair of solo home runs.

The left-hander surrendered five hits and two runs over five innings while walking two and striking out seven. He threw a season-high 92 pitches and generated 18 swings and misses.

The Athletics struck first for the fourth consecutive game in the series when Jonah Heim homered to center in the second inning.

Boston answered in the fifth when Jahmai Jones crushed a solo homer to left, his second since being acquired from Detroit on July 14. Jones is now 5-for-13 with two home runs and two doubles against left-handed pitching since joining Boston.

The tie lasted only moments, however, as Butler answered with a solo homer in the bottom half to restore the Athletics' one-run advantage.

The Red Sox had several opportunities to break through earlier but couldn't capitalize.

They loaded the bases with one out in the fourth before Connor Wong grounded into an inning-ending double play. In the seventh, Gonzalez grounded out with the bases loaded to end another threat. An inning later, Monasterio was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a balk, but Boston stranded him there.

Gonzalez's offensive woes continued. He went 0-for-5 and stranded seven runners as the Red Sox finished 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base.

“I think coming in, you expected to see a lot more runs scored,” Tracy told reporters postgame. “We certainly had opportunities today.”

Justin Slaten came up big out of the bullpen.

The right-hander escaped a self-inflicted jam in the seventh after Monasterio booted a routine ground ball by Wilson with two outs. McNeil followed with a single through the right side before Tommy White appeared to go around on an 0-2 pitch, but first-base umpire Nate Tomlinson ruled he checked his swing on appeal.

Slaten regrouped and blew a 97.8 mph fastball past White two pitches later for the inning-ending strikeout. The normally calm and cool right-hander celebrated the moment as he yelled walking back to the dugout.

The Athletics also lost star first baseman Nick Kurtz in the first inning after he was hit on the left forearm by a Sandoval fastball. 

He exited with a forearm contusion.

It's unclear whether Kurtz will require a stint on the injured list, but the injury is another blow to an Athletics club that has already lost sluggers Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers for the season. Kurtz had been working his way back from a right thumb capsule sprain that sidelined him from July 10-24 and Wednesday marked just his fifth game since returning.

Despite missing time, Kurtz entered Wednesday hitting .260/.398/.491 with an .889 OPS, 21 home runs and 69 RBI. He ranked third in the majors in walks (77) and on-base percentage, was tied for 10th in RBIs and sat 11th in OPS.

Boston will try to take three of four from the Athletics on Thursday night. Right-hander Sonny Gray (12-2, 2.78 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Red Sox. The Athletics have yet to announce a starter.

More on Mead

The Red Sox received encouraging news on Mead prior to the game on Wednesday.

During a follow-up appointment with a specialist in Boston, Mead learned the fractured left wrist he suffered Monday is not expected to require surgery, according to MassLive. As a result, a return before the end of the regular season remains a possibility.

Mead is expected to face a recovery timeline of approximately six to eight weeks, which could put him in position to return during the final week of the regular season.

The Red Sox placed Mead on the 10-day injured list before Tuesday's game.

Mead sustained the injury in the fourth inning of Monday's 4-2 victory over the Athletics when he was struck on the left wrist by a 94.9 mph fastball from right-hander Jack Perkins. He remained in the game briefly before exiting in the bottom of the fifth inning. Initial X-rays were negative, but an MRI performed Tuesday morning revealed the fracture.