by Charlie O. Mallonee

At the end of the season, every member of the Oakland Athletics will have tried to forget game number 59. Game 59 was played on Sunday in Boston and the A’s lost 7-4.

With the win, the Red Sox (27-31) completed a three-game sweep of Oakland. The loss dropped the A’s record to 3-3 on the six-game road trip which is an acceptable result on a road trip. The A’s (23-36) will want to forget the game on Sunday because they should have won the game.

The Red Sox finished the game with seven runs, 13 hits and no errors. The A’s posted four runs on 11 hits and had no errors.

The winning pitcher was knuckleballer Steven Wright who is 3-2 for the year. The save went to Tommy Layne – his first save of the season.

The loss was hung on Tyler Clippard (0-3). Clippard was also charged with his second blown save of the year.

The death blow was issued by the Red Sox in the bottom of the eighth inning. The A’s held a 4-0 lead with starter Kendall Graveman on the hill. Graveman gave up a lead-off home run to Runsey Castillo, and A’s manager Bob Melvin handed the game over to his relief corps.

The four A’s relievers failed to get the job done as they gave up six runs on seven hits to to 10 Red Sox batters. When the disaster of an inning was over, Boston led the game 7-4 – the eventual final score.

Men Left on Base

The relief pitching did fail to get the job done, but the A’s really lost the game in the top of the fourth inning.

The A’s did score a run in the fourth inning; however, they had the bases loaded with no outs and failed to bring another run across the plate. Another run or two in that inning would have dramatically changed the complexion of the game.

The A’s have been plagued with leaving runners in scoring position all season. On Sunday, the A’s were 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Those nine runners left on base came home to haunt them at the end of the game.

By contrast, the Red Sox went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

On the Bump

Kendall Graveman gave the A’s a quality start on Sunday. Graveman pitched 7-plus innings (he faced one batter in the eighth inning). He gave up one run (earned) on six hits while striking out six and walking just two Boston hitters. Graveman threw 101 pitches for 66 strikes.

Graveman’s trademark sinkerball was giving him trouble in the early innings. Rather than sinking, it was staying flat and moving in and out over the plate. The lack of sink seemed to throw the Red Sox hitters out of sync and Graveman recorded an unusually high number of strike outs for the game. His sinker began to sink more as the game progressed.

Clay Buchholz never looked comfortable on the mound for the Sox. He gave up 4 runs (all earned) on 10 hits. He struck out four while walking two batters. Buchholz threw 102 pitches in his 4.2-innings of work.

Out of the Bullpen

Evan Scribner came on in relief of Graveman in the eighth inning. He promptly gave up a base hit to Pedroia which kicked off the Red Sox rally. Graveman is now 9-for-28 (.311) versus first hitters for the season. It is tough to have a quality relief appearance when you give up that many hits to the first batter you face.

Scribner gave up three runs on three hits. He did not record an out.

Drew Pomeranz faced on hitter and gave up a sacrifice fly to Ortiz.

Clippard was roughed up for three runs (all earned) on four hits. The Boston hitters were guessing correctly on whether Clippard was going to throw a fastball or a change up.

Switch pitcher Pat Venditte came in recorded the final out of the inning for Oakland.

Defense

The defense was not a problem for the A’s on Sunday as they committed no errors. Their only miscue was a passed ball.

In the Batters Box

The A’s had real trouble in this series with a lack of production from the number three, four and five hitters in the order. The middle of the order produced only five hits in the three-game tilt.

Stephen Vogt went 0-for-12 in the three games. Reddick went a respectable 4-for-10 at the plate. Billy Butler went 1-for-13 as the designated hitter. That qualifies as severe power drought.

The bright spot the A’s on offense continues to be Billy Burns. Burns now has a 12-game hitting streak (tied for the longest consecutive hitting streak of the season for the A’s). He went 3-for-13 in the series.

Catcher Josh Phegley also had a decent series at the plate. He went 4-for-7 in the series including two doubles on Sunday.

Up Next

The A’s will have Monday off after the long plane ride home from the East Coast.

The Texas Rangers come to Oakland starting on Tuesday for a three-game series. The Rangers have won seven of their last 10 games. Texas had leap-frogged the Angels to take sole possession of second-place in the AL West.

Sonny Gray (7-2,1.65) will pitch the opener for Oakland. Texas will send RHP Nick Martinez (4-2, 2.89) to the mound to face the Athletics.