Game #32: The Skid Continues With a Near Shutout
The A’s losing streak moves to 5 games in a row after a quick loss to the Boston Red Sox.
***Revisit the Game Thread***
The Sox took the lead early on as Mookie Betts hit a Solo shot to dead centre field, they followed up in the 2nd with a Sandy Leon single that scored Michael Chavis from second.
It took Aaron Brooks until the 3rd to have a 1-2-3 inning, getting his second strike out of the evening against Betts. Things turned back in Boston’s favour in the 4th inning though, as Mitch Moreland hit a 2 run dinger to the same spot that Betts did earlier. Both of the homers that Brooks gave up were fastballs in the centre of the strike zone, gift pitches to hitters that didn’t need them,
Ramon Laureano looked a bit different tonight than he did when making highlights against the Red Sox earlier in the month. What should have been a standard fly out ended up as J.D. Martinez getting onto second base from Laureano having the ball pop out of his glove on the catch, and then skidding past the ball when attempting to pick it up as a recovery. This led to a Rafael Devers double to deep right field, scoring Martinez, and bringing Liam Hendricks into the game in the 5th.
Liam Hendricks pitched well in relief, working through 5 Sox without a baserunner until Mookie Betts hit a single that bounced off of Pinder’s glove and rolled into the outfield. After that single Hendricks earned two more outs before being traded out for Ryan Buchter.
Buchter worked a long strike out to end the 7th. Devers was the only batter Buchter faced, as Joakim Soria took over on the mound for the 8th, throwing a 1-2-3 inning with 2 strikeouts.
The A’s offence helped Rick Porcello’s season, as the 8 scoreless innings he pitched against them lowered his ERA from 7.43 to 5.52. Porcello struck out 8 and only give up 2 hits and 2 walks.
A shut out seemed almost inevitable, until Robbie Grossman took Red Sox reliever Tyler Thornburg deep to lead off the 9th inning on a full count. After a Chapman fly out, Khris Davis worked a walk, but the A’s went down quickly after following a Piscotty strike out and a Morales ground out.
The Athletics did not look strong on any part of their game tonight aside from Hendricks and Soria’s innings pitching. The late Grossman homer was a nice surprise, but not nearly enough to put out an offensive front. Aaron Brooks had his shortest outing of the year, and raised his ERA to 5.47.
The A’s have a rubber match against Boston tomorrow, sending Mike Fiers to the mound, and hopefully looking to turn things around before an off day on Thursday. With this loss the A’s move to 14-18.