The Red Sox and Athletics competed in a nailbiter Sunday, but the Red Sox, led by Nick Pivetta, would come out on top on the 4th of July.
Both teams held each other scoreless through the first five innings, but the Red Sox would strike first in the top of the sixth. After Alex Verdugo doubled, J.D. Martinez singled to put runners on the corners. With still nobody out, Rafael Devers grounded out into a double play, which managed to put the Red Sox on the board.
Nick Pivetta tossing seven 10-strikeout innings, in his longest outing of the season. He allowed just two hits, walking two batters throwing 101 pitches as he picked up his seventh win of the season to make him 7-3 on the year. He threw 65 strikes, 58 fastballs, 28 knuckle curveballs, 10 sliders, and five changeups.
Garrett Whitlock recorded a scoreless frame in the eighth, and Matt Barnes would come on for the save. He allowed two runners but would strike out Seth Brown with a curveball to capture the victory.
Notes:
- Barnes picked up his 500th career strikeout when striking out Seth Brown
- Barnes also grabbed his 19th save of the season
- Nick Pivetta’s ERA moved from 4.33 to 4.09
- The Red Sox and A’s combined for just 10 hits
- Boston captured the 2-1 series victory with Sunday’s win
(Photo of Nick Pivetta/Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)