The Red Sox picked up their eighth straight win with their victory over the Athletics Friday night, as Kike Hernandez and Eduardo Rodriguez were the two main factors in the victory.
Rodriguez hurled six one-hit innings, not allowing a run as he struck out six batters while walking two. Garrett Whitlock pitched the seventh and eighth inning, allowing a solo big fly off former Red Sox Jed Lowrie.
Boston got runs from Rafael Devers, who doubled home Xander Bogaerts after Tony Kemp misplayed a ball in right field in the fourth, as well as an RBI single from Alex Verdugo in the fifth.
The Red Sox were up 2-1 going into the ninth, as Matt Barnes came on for the save. But a leadoff homer from Elvis Andrus tied the ballgame up, and it sent the Red Sox and Athletics to extras.
In the 10th inning, Kike Hernandez stole the show.
Hernandez drove in the runner who started on second base, Michael Chavis, to start the 10th to make it 3-2. In the bottom half of the inning, with runners on the corners, Sean Murphy hit what looked like a sac fly. But Hernandez threw a dime to Christian Vazquez, and tagged out Seth Brown, the tying run. Adam Ottavino picked up the save, his sixth of the season.
Notes:
- With Boston’s win, and Tampa Bay’s loss, the Red Sox move 4.5 games ahead of the Rays, who are second in the AL East
- Boston and Oakland limited each other to just a combined 10 hits
- The Red Sox are now 52-31, and are in first place of the American League
- Boston picked up their eighth straight victory
- The Red Sox have outscored opponents 24-5 in their past three games
(Photo of Eduardo Rodriguez/AP Photo/Tony Avelar)