FINAL: Red Sox 12, Athletics 9 - Offense powers Boston to 50th win of the season

The Red Sox defeat the Oakland Athletics 12-9 in an offensive juggernaut. Boston had an 8-run 2nd inning after trailing 2-0 in the top of the 1st and taking a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 1st. Boston is now 10 games over .500 for the first time this season. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• 8 runs is the most  Boston has scored in an inning this season.  
• Rafael Devers went 2-4 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI. 

• Wilyer Abreu and Dominic Smith hit back-to-back homers. 

• Brayan Bello went 5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 11 K (carrer high) and 2 BB. He is the first Boston pitcher with 11 K in the first 4 innings of a game in at least the divisional era (1969). The last MLB pitcher to do that was Dylan Cease on 5/12/22. Bello still had a lot of traffic on the bases throughout the game, especially again in the first inning and still surrendered 5 runs.

The Red Sox will be back in action for the second game of the three-game series tomorrow night at 7:10 p.m. 

_____________________________________

WHO: Oakland Athletics (34-58) at Red Sox (49-40)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park, Boston. 
SERIES TO DATE: 0-0
STARTING PITCHERS:RHP Brayan Bello (8-5, 5.19 ERA) vs RHP Joey Estes (3-3, 3.39 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
LIVE BOX
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Duran CF
Hamilton 2B
O'Neill LF
Devers 3B
Wong C
Yoshida DH
Abreu RF
Smith 1B
Rafaela SS

SP Brayan Bello

ATHLETICS
Bleday CF
Andujar LF
Rooker DH
Soderstrom 1B
Langeliers C
Gelof 2B
Butler RF
Harris 3B
Schuemann SS

SP Joey Estes 
WHAT'S UP

•  The Red Sox have won 6 of their last 7 games...They're 16-6 in their last 22 games, beginning 6/12.
•  BOS is 27-16 (.628) in its last 43 games, beginning 5/19, tied with CLE for MLB's best record in that span.
•  At 49-40 (.551), the Sox own MLB's 9th-best record.
•  BOS is a season-high-tying 9 games above .500...The last time they were 10 games over .500 was 7/4/22 (45-35).
• The Red Sox won a 3-game series at Yankee Stadium over the weekend to improve to 14-10-5 in series play, including 8-5-2 on the road.
• Boston won its 4th-straight road series...The club has won or tied each of its last 5 on the road (4-0-1).
• They have won or tied 10 of their last 11 series (6-1-4).
• In their last 7 games, Sox starters own a 1.40 ERA and 1.94 opponent AVG (6 ER/38.2 IP, 26-for-134).
• BOS ranks 4th in the AL in ERA (3.61) and WHIP (1.19).
• Boston ranks in the AL's top 5 in XBH (3rd, 284), AVG (4th, .252), OBP (4th, .320), SLG (5th, .419), and OPS (5th, .739).
• Three Red Sox were selected to represent the American League in the 2024 All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.
• Rafael Devers earned his 3rd career All-Star selection...Jarren Duran and Tanner Houck each earned their 1st.
• All 3 players were either drafted by BOS (Duran, Houck) or signed internationally (Devers)...Prior to this year, the last times the Sox had 3+ homegrown All-Stars were 2021 (Barnes, Bogaerts, Devers), 2016 (Betts, Bogaerts, Bradley Jr.), and 2011 (Ellsbury, Lester, Youkilis).
• Sunday was Alex Cora's 489th win as Red Sox manager, tying Bill Carrigan for 4th most in club history.
• Tonight is Cora's 900th game managed, 5th-most in Red Sox history (4th: Bill Carrigan-1,003).
• Cam Booser was sent down to AAA yesterday. 
• Boston recalled Jamie Westbrook from AAA. 
• The Red Sox selected RHP Trey Wingenter to the active Major League roster and will wear #61. 
• Emmanuel Valdez was sent down to AAA. 
•  RHP Naoyuki Uwasawa has been designated for assignment.