Red Sox strand 12, fall to Athletics as nine-game winning streak ends

The Red Sox had an opportunity to do something they had never done in franchise history Saturday afternoon.

Instead, their nine-game winning streak came to an end.

Boston squandered an early lead and repeatedly failed to capitalize with runners on base in a 7-3 loss to the Athletics at Fenway Park, falling one victory shy of its second 10-game winning streak of the season.

The Red Sox, who tied a franchise record with 15 consecutive wins from July 3-22, jumped ahead 2-0 in the first inning but couldn't build on it.

Andruw Monasterio stayed red-hot, delivering a two-run single to give Boston the early advantage. The hit extended his hitting streak to 10 games and his on-base streak to 20, the longest by a Red Sox player since Triston Casas reached safely in 23 straight games in 2023.

“Jumped out early,” interim manager Chad Tracy said of his lineup on Saturday afternoon. “And then didn’t do a ton.”

From there, Athletics starter Gage Jump took control, shutting down the Sox' lineup.

After allowing two runs in the first, the left-hander didn't surrender another over six innings. He struck out 11 and generated 19 swings and misses as Boston continually came up empty in run-scoring situations.

Jump’s 84 strikeouts through his first 14 career games are the second-most in Athletics history, trailing only Tim Hudson, who had 87 in 1999. The left-hander has also been especially effective away from home, going 3-2 with a 2.60 ERA in six road starts.

“He was pretty good. He was pretty good in Sacramento, too,” Tracy said of the rookie Jump. “You just got to give him credit. He settled in, he looked good.”

Boston went 2-for-14 (.125) with runners in scoring position today, leaving 12 runners on base. The Sox hit .463 (25-for-54) with runners in scoring position through the first four games of this current homestand.

Those missed opportunities drew the Fenway crowd's frustration late. Willson Contreras, back in the lineup after missing two games with an illness, was booed after failing to run out a hard-hit ground ball to third to begin the eighth. Jarren Duran heard boos later in the inning after striking out with two runners in scoring position.

Contreras, who has been sick the last few days, declined to speak to reporters after the game.

“I know how that looks, but I’m also aware more than others that he’s a little beat up and told us before the game, ‘I don’t have everything today.' So I’m fine. Especially with a guy that plays the game as hard as he does and how hard he turns around first base all the time, I’m fine with it," Tracy said.

Even in the ninth, the Red Sox gave themselves one final opportunity, only to leave the bases loaded when Eli White flied out to center to end the game.

Jake Bennett couldn't make the early lead hold up.

The rookie left-hander turned in his shortest start since June 17, allowing four runs on five hits and a season-high three walks while striking out five.

Bennett entered Saturday having allowed only nine singles in 59 at-bats against his changeup without surrendering an extra-base hit. That streak ended in the fourth when Jacob Wilson doubled to left-center.

Wilson eventually scored to cut Boston's lead to 2-1 after Brian Serven hit a ground ball in front of the mound that Bennett couldn't turn into an out.

“I actually thought he threw the ball well,” Tracy said Bennett. “It looked like maybe they adjusted because he was so good early on with his off-speed (pitches). … He might have lost a couple more counts than he usually does, but overall I still thought he threw the ball well.

“He pitched into the sixth inning, and the last hitter puts a long at-bat on him. If he gets a quick one there, and we give him one more, he might turn in a quality start. So it was OK.”

The Athletics broke through an inning later when Jonah Heim hammered a 105.4 mph two-run single off the Green Monster on another Bennett changeup, putting the Athletics ahead 3-2. Bennett departed with one out and a runner aboard, but Justin Slaten couldn't stop the damage.

Slaten entered having allowed just one earned run over 9 2/3 innings in his previous 11 appearances. He walked a batter before Donovan Walton doubled home two runs, extending the Athletics' lead to 5-2.

Raymond Burgos, who provided three perfect innings in Friday night's 13-1 rout, surrendered a solo homer in the seventh and another to Henry Bolte in the ninth, a 439-foot shot that made it 7-2. Following the game, the Sox optioned Burgos back to Triple-A Worcester. 

“He did a fantastic job,” Tracy said of Burgos. “Asked him about it yesterday, he was game for it. We’re in that spot. … We’ve had a lot of stuff we’ve had to do to try to get the bullpen reset, but I can’t say enough about the job that kid did to help get us closer to being back online.”

“First time in my career I’ve done that,” Burgos said after the game. “They gave me a chance. They asked me how I was able to do it and I just told them that you just had to do whatever it takes to give the team a chance to win. 

“I was able to bounce back really good from last night’s outing, and give the team a chance, some length out there. I think it was huge for them. I know they appreciated it and I also appreciated the chance. I’m grateful to go out there and compete and have fun.”

Monasterio also contributed defensively. He made a diving stop to his right on Tommy White's infield hit in the fourth, preventing Wilson from scoring from second. Wilson eventually came around later in the inning, but Monasterio's play temporarily kept the Athletics off the board.

In the end, Boston simply couldn't deliver enough offensively. The Red Sox had runners on base throughout the afternoon, but after scoring twice in the first, they spent most of the game watching opportunities disappear.

Boston fell to 29-30 at home, snapping a five-game winning streak at Fenway Park. They lost for just the fifth time in their last 22 home games dating back to June 25.

The nine-game winning streak is over, but Boston will have a chance to finish its homestand with another series victory Sunday at 1:10 p.m. The Red Sox have yet to announce a starter and are likely to use a bullpen game against Athletics right-hander J.T. Ginn (8-6, 3.51 ERA).

Adley Debuts in Worcester

Adley Rutschman picked up his first hit as a member of the Red Sox organization Saturday, going 1-for-2 with two walks in his first rehab game with Triple-A Worcester.

Rutschman caught five innings and reached base three times in four plate appearances. He ripped a two-run double down the right-field line, drew a pair of walks and popped out to left. He also threw out a baserunner and scored a run.

“[The wrist] felt good; I was very happy with how it’s been responding and feeling,” Rutschman said to reporters at Polar Park. “I think in rehab games, they want to see you try and sprint a little bit, use the arm and throw the ball around; that’s always good. Just getting ABs and seeing pitches.”

The three-time All-Star, acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline, has been on the injured list since July 20 with left wrist inflammation.

Rutschman said there’s still no timetable for when he’ll be activated, but his wrist continues to trend in the right direction.

“I don’t have an answer for you right now, but the wrist’s feeling good and I’m just hoping to keep progressing and hopefully in there sooner rather than later.”

Abreu Scratched With Shin Soreness

Wilyer Abreu was scratched from Saturday’s lineup after experiencing soreness and swelling from fouling a ball off his shin during Friday night’s 13-1 win.

“He’s sore,” Tracy said prior to the game. “Obviously had him in there and then came in today and there’s some swelling in there. He hit it right above the shin guard. So like right in that calf and shin area. Pretty swollen.”

With the Red Sox already looking for an opportunity to give Abreu a day off, Tracy opted not to push him.

“Being that we were actively looking over this next handful of days to get him a day off, just felt like we’re not running him out there like that,” Tracy said. “So get him off his feet today.”

Tracy is hopeful Abreu can return Sunday after receiving treatment.

“He’ll get a bunch of treatment today and rub it out and flush it out and hopefully he’s in there,” Tracy said. “But we’ll see how he feels.”

Abreu is batting .256 with a .793 OPS and 20 home runs in 113 games. He’s been one of Boston’s hottest hitters lately, going 9-for-18 with four homers and a double over his last five games.