Boston Red Sox suffer 2-4 loss at the hands of Oakland Athletics – MLB Update
Boston Red Sox suffered a humiliating 2-4 defeat at the hands of Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on Wednesday, May 2 in the finale of their three match series of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season.
Both teams failed to score a run in the first three innings of the game. Seth Smith singled to right and Yoenis Cespedes scored the opening run for Oakland in the fourth inning. Smith continued to play aggressively and he doubled to deep left in the sixth to double the Athletics’ advantage 2-0.
Kila Ka’aihue also joined the party with a double to deep right as Smith scored the third run for the Athletics. Brandon Inge, who has been recently acquired by the Athletics, showed his composure and mental strength as he doubled to deep centre to give the Athletics an impassable 4-0 lead.
Marlon Byrd scored the first run for the Red Sox in the seventh when he hit a sacrifice fly to left. Dustin Pedroia added an RBI double in ninth to reduce Oakland’s lead to 2-4 but unfortunately for Boston, Pedroia’s effort did not prove to be enough.
Athletics’ starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy played a key role in deciding the outcome of the clash as he allowed just five hits in his six-innings outing.
"If anything, it gives you the confidence that you're not facing a team that scored a bunch of runs," McCarthy said in a post game interview. "When you see someone go out there, throw strike one, with good location, I think it can give you the confidence that it can be done."
"For us to win two of three shows the resiliency of this club," A's manager Bob Melvin said.
"I think he's just tired," Boston manager Bobby Valentine said of Adrian Gonzalez. "He's played the entire time and his timing recognition of the strike zone is just a little off."
Overall, Athletics displayed some high quality baseball skills in a game that was played on an extremely fighting note.
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