Mason Barnett #63 Athletics pitches against the Boston Red Sox in the top of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on July 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After dropping game three on Wednesday to the Red Sox, the A’s tried to split the series with Boston on Thursday in the final game of the four-game series.

The Athletics couldn’t salvage the series split on Thursday as they fell to the Red Sox 5-4 in nine innings.

Mason Barnett got the spot start for the A’s, who had floated the idea of going with an opener on Thursday. Barnett, who made his 15th appearance and first start for the A’s on Thursday, pitched well. Barnett breezed through the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth inning. Barnett gave up three runs in the fifth that would ultimately lead to the end of his outing. All in, Barnett gave up three runs on four hits while striking out six and walking just one Red Sox hitter.

Mark Kotsay was pleased with Barnett’s outing and felt it was something he could continue to build on moving forward.

“I thought Barnett did a great job… the goal was to get through five innings tonight, keep building him,” Mark Kotsay said after the game. “… Ultimately thought he executed his pitches tonight… so we’re going to keep building with him, keep putting him out there.”

Mason Barnett was also pleased with his outing, albeit with the caveat of the fifth inning.

“I felt good,” Barnett said after the game. “Stuff felt great, especially early on. Glad I was able to get four strong ones out there. The last one, that last inning, started off with a fastball getting away from me. And then after that I was trying to get the ball on the ground and did that, but they just put it in places where it’s tough to make plays. Sometimes that’s just how baseball goes, but overall I felt good and think I can build off it.”

In the sixth inning, the A’s went to the bullpen for the first time in the game in relief of starter Mason Barnett. Scott Blewett was the first out of the bullpen for the A’s, and he impressed in his two innings of work. He immediately got himself into a jam in the sixth inning but managed to get out of it without allowing a run. Blewett allowed no runs on two hits across his two innings of work while walking none and striking out one.

In the eighth inning, Mark Kotsay went with Luis Medina, who had pitched well over his last five appearances, allowing just two runs. However, the Red Sox weren’t kind to Medina, greeting him with back-to-back home runs to open the eighth inning. However, that would be all the damage done to Medina as he finished the frame allowing just those two hits while striking out one in his one inning of work.

In the ninth inning, now down by a run, the A’s turned to Elvis Alvarado to keep the game within one run. Alvarado turned in a solid performance as he faced the minimum in the ninth thanks to a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning after issuing a leadoff walk. Alvarado allowed one walk and no hits across his one inning of relief while striking out one.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s kept a steady diet of offense going throughout the game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Red Sox. The A’s finished with nine hits and two walks while scoring four runs.

The A’s first run of the game came in the third inning when Jacob Wilson hit an RBI single to center field that scored Carlos Cortes. It was Wilson’s 33rd RBI of the season.

In the fourth inning, it was Lawrence Butler, who has been heating up as of late, who recorded an RBI double to score Jonah Heim. It was Butler’s 27th RBI of the year.

Later in the inning, it was Donovan Walton who hit an RBI single that scored Lawrence Butler to give the A’s their third run of the game and make it a 3-0 game at the time.

In the sixth inning, the A’s scored their final run of the game on a Carlos Cortes sacrifice fly that scored Lawrence Butler from third base. It was a close play at the plate as Butler scored on a shallow fly ball to left field.

The A’s will stay home to take on the Detroit Tigers in game one of a three-game series on Friday at Sutter Health Park. The Tigers plan to start Casey Mize (2-6, 2.70 ERA), while the A’s will counter with Jeffrey Springs (3-10, 6.23 ERA).