A’s lead late rally but fall 7-6 to Red Sox in 10 innings

A’s lead late rally but fall 7-6 to Red Sox in 10 innings
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
June 22, 2014


OAKLAND – Sunday afternoon, the Oakland A’s looked as though they were going to go quietly into the late afternoon against the Boston Red Sox as they trailed 6-1 with two outs in the eighth with Jon Lester on the mound looking to add another dominant start of the A’s to his game log.

But that hasn’t been the makeup of this 2014 A’s squad, and although they eventually fell 7-6 in 10 innings, they made the Red Sox work hard to avoid the first four-game sweep by the A’s in their home park since 1932.

“That’s as hard as we fought all year in what looked like a game we weren’t in for a little while,” said A’s manager Bob Melvin after the game.

“A testament to the fight these guys have. They really never feel like they’re going to lose a game until the last out is made.”

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A's beat Red Sox 2-1 despite blown call

A's beat Red Sox 2-1 despite blown call
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
June 21, 2014


OAKLAND – As has been the case for much of this four game weekend series against the defending champion Boston Red Sox, Stephen Vogt and Coco Crisp were the offensive stars of the game in Saturday’s 2-1 win in 10 innings.

Vogt reached base in his first three at bats and was responsible for the only run to score in the A’s win over the Red Sox, securing a season series win over the defending World Series champions.

Vogt lead off the third with a triple and came around to score on Alberto Callaspo’s sacrifice fly and Jesse Chavez went seven scoreless innings, which included no-hitting the Red Sox through the first five innings.

“It was fun,” Vogt said of the triple. “I was hoping it was going to get out. In retrospect, I wish I’d slid into third. I’m fortunate I was just fast enough to beat the throw.”

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A's beat Red Sox 4-3 on clutch Crisp single

A's beat Red Sox 4-3 on clutch Crisp single
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
June 20, 2014


OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s proved Friday night at the O.co Coliseum that you can get a lot more for a dollar than you think as they beat the Boston Red Sox the second straight night, winning 4-3 on an eighth inning Coco Crisp two-out RBI single as well as five scoreless innings from the bullpen.

Newly acquired pitcher Brad Mills struck out the first four batters he retired. The A’s got Mills for one dollar from the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday and he took injured started Drew Pomeranz’s spot in the rotation against the Boston Red Sox in the second of four games between the two teams this weekend.

Mills would get tagged for three runs, two of them earned, in four innings for the A’s.

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Kazmir, A's beat Red Sox 4-2

Kazmir, A's beat Red Sox 4-2
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
June 19, 2014


OAKLAND–Thursday night, the Oakland A’s defended their title as the team with the best record in the majors as they beat the defending champion Boston Red Sox by a 4-2 score in the first of four games at the O.co Coliseum between the two.

Stephen Vogt and Yoenis Cespedes were the offensive stars for the A’s. Vogt was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and Cespedes’ third inning home run gave the A’s a 3-0 lead through the first four innings.

Scott Kazmir (9-2, 2.07 ERA) was excellent once again, going seven strong innings–the only runs allowed coming off a two-run Dustin Pedroia home run in the sixth inning. That made the game 3-2, but the A’s tacked on a run in the seventh on a John Jaso RBI single that scored Eric Sogard from second base. Coco Crisp was thrown out trying to advance to third.

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