A five-run second sinks the A’s in a 7-3 loss to the Red Sox

A five-run second inning was more than the Oakland Athletics could overcome in a 7-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Sam Long got the start as an opener for Friday’s game and allowed a one-out single to Justin Turner, but nothing else in a scoreless first inning.

The A’s went down in order in the first against Red Sox opener Brennan Bernardino. Brent Rooker struck out to start the second, but JJ Bleday connected for a ground rule double to right. Bleday moved to third on a ground out by Jace Peterson and Shea Langeliers walked to put runners at first and third, but Seth Brown bounced back to the pitcher to end the inning.

Long came back out to start the second and allowed back-to-back singles to Alex Verdugo and Kike Hernandez. Long then jumped ahead of Tristan Casas 0-2, but lost him for a walk to load the bases. Mark Kotsay then signaled for Luis Medina, who was expected to be the bulk guy Friday, to enter with the bases loaded and no one out.

Medina entered and struck out Connor Wong, but allowed a single to Yu Chang that scored two to put Boston in front. A wild pitch moved runners to second and third. Duran then sent a high chopper off the plate that Tony Kemp fielded and threw to first late for an infield single. Another run scored on the play to make it 3-0. Turner followed with a single to right to bring home another run. Medina retired Devers on a ground out, but Duran scored from the play to make it 5-0. He got Duvall to strike out on a check swing to finally bring the inning to an end. It was an ugly inning all the way around for the A’s, but Kotsay certainly didn’t do his rookie right-hander any favors by bringing him into the game in that situation.

Nick Pivetta entered in the third and retired the first eight batters he faced before Seth Brown walked with two outs in the fifth. Tyler Wade then singled back through the box to put runners at first and second. Kemp then sent a slow roller to Devers at third who threw wide of first for an error. Brown scored on the play to make it 5-1.

Medina settled in after the rough start and retired 11-straight hitters between the second and the fifth. He ran the streak to 13 straight before Casas singled with two outs in the sixth. Medina came right back and struck out Wong to end the inning.

Pivetta struck out the side in the sixth and started the seventh with another strikeout of Jace Peterson. Shea Langeliers then sent a deep fly ball to the left field corner that Duran overran into a double. The A’s would make that hurt as Brown homered into the bullpen in right to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Medina retired Chang to start the seventh, but Duran then hooked a curveball into the right field corner for a triple. Medina struck out Turner and then intentionally walked Devers who immediately stole second. Duvall then sent a grounder deep into the hole at short and beat out Tyler Wade’s throw to first for an infield single. Duran scored to push the lead back to 6-3. Verdugo followed with a solid single to left that scored Devers to add on another run. Kotsay continued to stick with Median who struck out Hernandez to end the inning.

All things considered, it wasn’t a bad outing for Medina who entered to an impossible situation and was then left in a batter or two too long. He allowed seven hits, four runs and struck out nine over six innings while throwing 84 pitches.

Angel Felipe, who was called up to the major league roster before the game, made his major league debut with a perfect eighth. Nick Allen singled with one out in the ninth, Langeliers bounced into a double play to end the game.

With the loss, the A’s drop their second straight game and fall to 25-65 for the season. The series will continue on Saturday with Paul Blackburn matching up against James Paxton.