Boston Red Sox defeat Oakland Athletics 8-6 - MLB Update
The Boston Red Sox came from behind and took the game away from the rivals Oakland Athletics 8-6 in the first of the three game series at the Fenway Park, Boston on Friday, June 3.
Despite going under a four run deficit in the top of the first inning, the Red Sox batting line-up did not lose their grip over the game and swung their bat with full strength to take the game back to their side. Adrian Gonzalez opened the account for Boston
when he touched a RBI single off the Athletics’ starter Josh Outman. David Ortiz added a second RBI single of the inning to trim the lead 2-4.
The score was 4-2 in the bottom of the second inning when Jacoby Ellsbury hit a sacrifice fly for an RBI single, which trimmed the lead to 3-4 and reduced the pressure for the manager Terry Francona.
Francona felt more relaxed when Ortiz and Jed Lowie scored an RBI each in the bottom of the third inning to take the club into a leading position 5-4. However, he could not enjoy his relaxation for long as in the top of the fourth, Coco Crisp grounded out
to first base, scoring Kevin Kouzmanoff, to tie the game 5-all.
In the fifth inning, Francona went under more pressure when the Athletics’ Daric Barton scored a leading run and their reliever Craig Breslow did not allow Boston’s batters to make any hit on his pitching.
However, in the seventh inning Crawford entered for his fourth at-bat and drove in to centre-field for a lead generating RBI double, which elevated the score 7-6. Watching this hit, Francona got excited which he expressed to the reporters after the game.
He said, "He worked the count really well. By no means did he crush that ball, but he stayed on it enough and it found the outfield grass and made everybody happy."
In the eighth inning, Jarrod Saltalamacchia launched a dazzling 421-feet one-run homer off the A’s reliever Michael Wuertz to confirm his club their 31st win of the season.
On the other hand, Boston’s starter Clay Buchholz after allowing four runs in the first inning struck-back. However, he failed to complete his come-back with full form as he allowed two more runs over just four innings.
Boston’s relievers, Scott Atchison, Tommy Hottovy, Bobby Jenks, Daniel Bard and closer Jonathan Papelbon all provided scoreless back up to Buchholz. Tommy Hottovy made his debut for three pitches for no-score in the sixth inning.
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