Photo credit: @RedSox

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s lost the finale of the three-game series to the Boston Red Sox 6-4 Wednesday night at Fenway Park. The A’s hit three home runs while Boston sent two into the stands. However, Boston’s two produced five runs while the A’s three were good for just four.

A’s pitcher Trevor Cahill, making his first start since coming off the 10-day DL, went five innings and allowed five hits and three runs. Cahill was charged with the loss and is now 1-2 for the season.

Red Sox ace Chris Sale also pitched five innings, and he allowed just two hits and two runs. Sale’s record improved to 4-1.

The Red Sox scored three times in the bottom of the first inning. Mookie Betts led off the inning with a single to left field. Betts advanced to second when Chad Pinder misplayed the ball. Betts went to third when Andrew Benintendi singled to right field. Boston’s designated hitter Hanley Ramirez grounded out, and Betts scored the first run of the game. The next hitter, J.D. Martinez blasted his 12th homer of the season 422 feet over the wall in centerfield. The Red Sox lead 3-0.

Sale did not allow a run in the first four innings of work. Sale, who is a strikeout pitcher, had a high pitch count as he started the fifth inning. He walked the leadoff hitter, Chad Pinder. A’s shortstop Marcus Semien homered into the Monster seats in left field to make it a one-run game 3-2.

A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in reliever Ryan Dull to start the sixth inning. Dull was greeted by a single off the bat of Hanley Ramirez. He walked J.D.Martinez to put men on at first and second with no out. Xander Bogaerts made Dull walk the plank as he blasted his fifth dinger of the year to put the Red Sox ahead 6-2.

The A’s Matt Joyce hit a solo homer off Heath Hembree in the seventh, and Matt Olson hit a high fly ball that barely cleared the top of the wall in left field for his sixth of the year in the top of the ninth off Boston’s closer Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel recovered to close out the game for Boston. The Red Sox win 6-4.

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the A’s drop to 21-22. If the A’s were in the AL Central, they would be in a dogfight for first place with the Cleveland Indians. However, the A’s are in the AL Central and are in fourth place, looking up at the Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, and Seattle Mariners.

The A’s won the series two games to one and won the season’s series from Boston four games to two. The Red Sox were very happy to say goodbye to the A’s as they had their hands full with them this season.

The A’s are on their way to Toronto to start a four-game series with the Blue Jays beginning Thursday evening. Andrew Triggs (3-1, ERA 5.31) will go for Oakland. Triggs was pounded for six runs and six hits and did not make it out of the fifth inning last Saturday against the Yankees.

The Blue Jays will send Aaron Sanchez to the hill and Sanchez is 2-3 with an ERA of 4.08. Sanchez has been inconsistent and the A’s hope that Sanchez will not be able to shut down their offense.

Up Next: Game time will be at 4 pm PST.