Red Sox 6, Athletics 0
Remember when Payton Tolle made his debut for the Boston Red Sox, and people were raving about how great he looked? Somehow, another recently lefty prospect decided to make a name for himself after his call-up to one-up Tolle in this contest against the Athletics.
Red Sox – Athletics Game Summary
It took all of three pitches for Boston to score, courtesy of a lead-off home run from Romy Gonzalez. Three batters later, Rob Refsnyder came to the plate with two runners on and still no outs. Refsnyder got a 1-2 fastball down the middle and crushed it. 463 feet later, the Red Sox took a 4-0 lead.
Not until after the three-run home run did Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs finally secure an out. Gonzalez added to it in the next inning with an RBI double, before leaving the game due to left knee soreness.
Boston couldn’t get much of anything going after that, not being able to muster another baserunner until the 6th inning. Luckily for the Red Sox, Connelly Early made his debut count, shutting down the Athletics the entire time.
The Athletics managed to get baserunners in each of the next three innings after Early was removed. However, the Red Sox bullpen bended but didn’t break, keeping the shutout intact.
What Went Right for the Red Sox
Call-Up Makes Name for Himself
Early, making the start for Dustin May, had himself possibly the greatest debut by a pitcher in Red Sox history. His final line: five innings, five hits, and one walk, while striking out 11 batters. The 11 strikeouts tie the Red Sox record for the most strikeouts in an MLB debut.
Bats Hot Early
Once again, Boston put up multiple runs in the early innings, giving Early some support. Gonzalez managed to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, and the Red Sox gathered 10-plus hits for the second game in a row.
Bullpen Clutched Up
Greg Weissert, just like Payton Tolle’s debut, entered in relief after the debuting pitcher. Unlike last time, Weissert didn’t allow any runs. Neither did Justin Slaten, Steven Matz, or Chris Murphy.
What Went Wrong for the Red Sox
Needing Luck
On a few occasions, specifically in the 7th inning, Red Sox pitching got bailed out by the defense. Brent Rooker, with two runners on, crushed a hanging curveball. Unfortunately for Rooker, Trevor Story was there to make a spectacular play to end the rally.
Looking ahead
Boston will look to get the janitor’s equipment out on Wednesday. Barring any more Red Sox pitching prospect call-ups, they will look to let Tolle take the bump to close out the series. The Athletics counter with Mason Barnett, who makes his third start of his young career.
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