Game Thread #134: Athletics versus Red Sox

The last time that the A's and Red Sox faced each other, it was a bit of a throttling on behalf of Boston. Scoring the A's by a total of 40-15 in the three game set in Boston, the A's never had a fighting chance in any game, and, at the time, many thought that the season couldn't possibly go any worse than it had been.

Oh, to go back to the days of early May A's baseball where hope had only died out amongst the more callous (some would argue realistic) of fans.

The A's are at a new point in their season, however, one where youth now reigns supreme and the club itself is beginning to cultivate its new identity rather than toil away with naught a straw to grasp onto. After so, so much has gone wrong in what could have been an exciting season had things broken the other way, as the season enters its final month the team is finally ready for some things to go right. Andrew Triggs, who earned his first win this season in his last start, is the most shining example of something finally going right for the A's, as he has gone above and beyond in every start he's made to keep the A's in the game, regardless of whether or not the offense held up its end of the bargain.

The Red Sox are having a youth movement of their own, as their lineup is dominated by rookie sensations and top draft picks and excelling youngsters to supplement its preexisting veteran stars. With the team already making a splash by calling up top draft pick and prospect Benintendi to the big league team straight from Double AA, the Red Sox dipped into their deep reserves once again and called Cuban sensation Yoan Moncada to the majors just in time to allow him to stay on the team for the entire postseason-push. Moncada will not be in the starting lineup tonight, however.

First pitch is just past 7. Lineups are below.