Game #41: A’s top Red Sox 6-5

This was what we like to call a “full team” win.

**Click here to revisit today’s game thread.**

For exactly one inning, we could hold out hope that Sean Manaea might no-hit the Red Sox for a second time – it’s probably not fair to be disappointed it didn’t happen, but the entire Twitterverse was.

Both the A’s and Red Sox went down 1-2-3 in the first inning.

In the top of the second, Khris Davis led off with a single, followed by a Matt Olson strikeout and Matt Chapman single. Both runners were stranded thanks to a Mark Canha fly-out and Jonathan Lucroy groundout. J.D. Martinez singled to start the bottom half, but Manaea retired Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Nunez, and Blake Swihart in order.

Dustin Fowler struck out and Marcus Semien grounded out to start the third inning. Matt Joyce followed with a home run to right field, his fourth of the season, and Jed Lowrie flied out to end the inning. Manaea retired Rafael Devers Sandy Leon to start the bottom half, but Mookie Betts followed with a single, and then stole second. Andrew Benintendi singled, scoring Betts. Benintendi advanced to second on bounced throw to first by Matt Chapman; he then scores on a Hanley Ramirez line drive. J.D. Martinez grounded out to end the inning.

Score: Boston 2, Oakland 1

Khris Davis grounded out to start the fourth. Matt Olson and Matt Chapman followed with singles, then Mark Canha struck out. Jonathan Lucroy followed with a double, scoring both Matts, then Dustin Fowler tripled, scoring Lucroy for his first MLB RBI. Marcus Semien grounded out to end the inning. Xander Bogaerts walked to start Boston’s half, then Eduardo Nunez singled. Blake Swihart grounded into a double play, then Rafael Devers grounded out to end the inning.

Score: Oakland 4, Boston 2

Matt Joyce got the fifth inning started with a single, but Jed Lowrie followed with a single and Khris Davis hit into a double play. Sandy Leon led off with a single for Boston, and advanced to third on a Mookie Betts double. Hanley Ramirez reached second on a fielder’s choice, scoring Leon and getting Betts out at third. J.D. Martinez lined out to end the inning.

Score: Oakland 4, Boston 3

Matt Olson hit his fifth homer of the season to start the sixth inning. Chapman, Canha, and Lucroy went down in order. Manaea retired the Red Sox in order in the bottom half.

Score: Oakland 5, Boston 3

Reliever Heath Hembree took over pitching for Rick Porcello in the seventh inning. Fowler led off with a groundout, then Semien followed with a single. Joyce struck out and Lowrie grounded out to end the inning. Rafael Devers led off the Sox’s half with a home run, and Chapman’s second error of the night allowed Sandy Leon to reach base, and knocked Manaea out of the game. Yusmiero Petit took over, retiring Betts, Benintendi, and Ramirez in order.

Score: Oakland 5, Boston 4

Carson Smith took the mound for the Sox in the 8th. Khris Davis immediately homered (his 12th of the year), but Olson, Chapman, and Canha went down in order. J.D. Martinez led off the Red Sox’s half with a homer of his own, but Petit retired Bogaerts, Nunez, and Swihart in order to limit the damage.

Score: Oakland 6, Boston 5

Brian Johnson came in in relief in the top of the ninth inning, retiring Lucroy, Fowler, and Semien in order. Blake Treinen closed the game out for the A’s: he retired Devers, Mitch Moreland, and Betts 1-2-3.

That’s how it’s done! Now you can go back to watching the Warriors game.