Red Sox Lose Third Straight To The Athletics
By The Sports Xchange
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mark Canha, Khris Davis, Chad Pinder and Jed Lowrie each hit a home run, powering the Oakland Athletics to an 8-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday afternoon at Oakland Coliseum.
The A's defeated the Red Sox for the third straight time in the four-game series and will go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon.
Oakland trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the fifth inning but scored five runs as Canha, Davis and Pinder each hit monster home runs.
Canha launched a leadoff home run into the left field seats off reliever Ben Taylor (0-1) for his third blast of the season and second in two games. His shot traveled an estimated 453 feet. Canha hit a walkoff homer leading off the 10th inning on Friday night in the A's 3-2 win.
Lowrie, who went 3-for-5, followed with a single and Davis crushed a two-run homer to left center, his team-high 13th home run of the season, that went 429 feet.
Canha and Davis each hit belt-high fastballs from Taylor, who exited after walking Trevor Plouffe.
Then with one out, Pinder launched Noe Ramirez's first pitch 460 feet into the second deck in left-center field for a two-run shot, his fourth home run of the season, making it 7-3.
According to the A's, Pinder is believed to be the fourth player to reach the Plaza Reserve section since the so-called Mt. Davis addition was built for the Oakland Raiders in 1996. Pinder joined former A's player Mark McGwire (May 7, 1996), ex-Colorado Rockies player Larry Walker (July 19, 1999) and San Francisco's Jarrett Parker (Sept. 25, 2015).
Lowrie hit a solo shot to right off Ramirez in the sixth inning, extending Oakland's lead to 8-3.
The A's entered the game with 59 home runs, tied for second in the American League, one behind the New York Yankees.
Hanley Ramirez hit a solo home run and had two hits for the Red Sox.
A's left-hander Sean Manaea (2-3) allowed three runs (two earned) and five hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked none. In his first career start against Boston last year at Fenway Park, he allowed eight runs and 10 hits over 2 2/3 innings of a 13-5 loss.
Frankie Montas threw three shutout innings of relief, striking out five, and Josh Smith pitched a scoreless ninth for the A's.
Red Sox left-hander Drew Pomeranz, a former A's pitcher, allowed two runs (one earned) and five hits but lasted only four innings in his first career appearance against Oakland. Pomeranz threw 97 pitches -- 56 of them in the first two innings -- struck out six and walked one in a no-decision.
NOTES: Red Sox LHP David Price (strained left elbow) will make a second rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday. ... A's manager Bob Melvin was ejected for the first time this season in the bottom of the second by third base umpire Mike Winters. ... A's RHP John Axford (strained right shoulder) was activated from the disabled list, and RHP Ryan Dull (strained right knee) was placed on the 10-day DL. Axford had been on the disabled list since April 2. Dull was injured in the 10th inning Friday night against Boston while making a pitch. ... Red Sox 1B Mitch Moreland was out of the lineup. Red Sox manager John Farrell said he hopes to give 2B Dustin Pedroia a day off Sunday. ... After an off day Monday, the Red Sox will have RHP Rick Porcello start Tuesday and LHP Chris Sale on Wednesday against Texas at Fenway Park.