Athletics 2, Red Sox 1
Despite a good home debut start from Connelly Early, the Boston Red Sox lose their series opener to the Athletics, 2–1. Early’s wasted performance went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out seven batters.
Red Sox Vs. Athletics Game Summary
The Red Sox, despite notching three hits in the first two innings, left four men on base during that span. A two-out walk from Rob Refsnyder gave Carlos Narvaez a second chance with a runner on base. Narvaez smacked a double into left center, as a fielding error from Lawrence Butler helped Refsnyder score from first.
It wasn’t until the fifth inning where the Athletics would find an answer. Boston starter Connelly Early exited the game after striking out Nick Kurtz. Greg Weissert was given the ball to help the Red Sox get out of it. After striking out Brent Rooker, Weissert grooved a 3–2 fastball to Tyler Soderstrom. Soderstrom slapped it out to left field for an RBI double, tying the game at 1–1.
Two batters later, after a Carlos Cortes pinch-hit walk, Brett Harris hit a single to left field, scoring Soderstrom and taking a 2–1 lead.
The Red Sox didn’t put up much resistance in the next two go-arounds. The eighth inning saw a chance to tie it after Nick Sogard walked with two outs. Alas, Sogard got picked off, taking the air out of Boston’s sails. The ninth inning, despite a Ceddanne Rafaela base hit, saw Romy Gonzalez hit into a double play to end it.
What Went Right for the Red Sox
Offense Came to Life
The Red Sox was able to get men on base more often than in games past. They had one 1–2–3 inning through this contest
Story’s Stolen Base Streak
Trevor Story reached 30 stolen bases on the year, and hasn’t been caught stealing yet. It is the longest consecutive stolen base streak to start a season in major league history.
Refsnyder’s Moneyball Performance
Refsnyder must’ve watched the movie Moneyball pre-game. Because what did he do? He got on base. Refsnyder went 3-for-4 with walks in his first three at-bats.
What Went Wrong for the Red Sox
Anemic Offense
The Red Sox finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position today, a from the 3-for-9 in the final game against the New York Yankees. The Red Sox are also 4–7 since Roman Anthony‘s injury against the Cleveland Guardians on September 2.
Early’s Performance Wasted
This is the second time in three weeks that Weissert has blown a lead in the sixth inning right after relieving a left-hander making their home debut. This also technically counts as a blown save for Weissert, which gives him an AL worst nine blown saves.
Not the Time to Struggle
The Red Sox have lost four of their last five, and really cannot afford to do this while their playoff spot is still at stake.
Looking Ahead
The Red Sox will look to rebound in the next two games against the Athletics, before facing AL East for Toronto Blue Jays. The Red Sox need to perform better if they want to make a playoff push.
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