Red Sox Rout Oakland A's, 11-2
OAKLAND (CBS/AP) -- Rick Porcello knows just about everything is going right at the moment, and has been all season. His only plan is to keep it going as the Red Sox chase an AL East crown and, he hopes, play deep into the postseason.
The Boston bats sure are doing their thing, too.
Porcello didn't allow a baserunner until Jake Smolinski's one-out double in the sixth on the way to his majors-leading 19th victory, and the Boston Red Sox routed the Oakland Athletics yet again with an 11-2 victory Saturday night. The ace right-hander also became the first Red Sox pitcher with 19 wins in his first 22 decisions.
"I'm definitely very happy in the position that I am in and that we are as a team," Porcello said. "We've still got some work to do, so want to continue that."
David Ortiz hit a two-run double to highlight Boston's seven-run third to chants of "Pa-pi! Pa-pi!" for the retiring slugger in his last visit to Oakland.
Yoan Moncada had a run-scoring double in the inning for his first career hit and RBI - and got the ball as a souvenir. He earned his first start a day after the star Cuban prospect made his major league debut in a 16-2 win.
"It's a big step getting the first hit," Moncada said.
Hanley Ramirez added a home run in the third, his fourth in seven games.
Porcello (19-3) gave up four hits and two runs in seven innings, struck out two and didn't walk a batter. Boston improved to 21-7 in Porcello's starts and 13-2 in his last 15. The Red Sox scored 11 or more runs against the A's in their fifth straight, a night after matching their season high with 16 runs.
Mookie Betts hit a two-run double in the first following Ortiz's first double that moved Dustin Pedroia to third. Betts joined Ted Williams as the only Red Sox with at least 30 home runs with 100 or more RBIs in a season before turning 24.
Ortiz had three more hits and is 5 for 6 with five RBIs this series. He moved within one RBI of the AL lead behind Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion (108). Ortiz also needs to drive in one more run to tie Dave Winfield for most RBIs by a player 40 or older. A 12-time All-Star and Hall of Famer, Winfield drove in 108 runs for Toronto in 1992.
Right-hander Daniel Mengden (1-6), called up from Triple-A Nashville, allowed seven runs and eight hits in just 2 2/3 innings.
"Teams that take a lot of pitches and make you throw a lot of pitches, it's like a boxer, it's just body blows and body blows and then they give you a good one," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "That's what they do."
CANSECO BOBBLEHEAD
How'd Jose Canseco like his bobblehead, handed out Saturday?
"It's pretty good, it's pretty accurate. It looks like the pre-Steroid-era bobblehead, though," he said. "It's got me kind of skinny. If it would have been the Steroid-era it would have me more beefed up. It looks more like the '86 bobblehead."
Of his ceremonial first pitch, Canseco took to Twitter:
"Went with the knuckle .it danced," he wrote.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: RHP Koji Uehara, on the disabled list since July 20 with a right pectoral strain, threw 26 pitches and could be activated during the team's upcoming series in San Diego beginning Monday. "The way he's advanced the last 10 days has been encouraging," manager John Farrell said. ... RHP Steven Wright will seek a second opinion on his injured throwing shoulder and won't start Tuesday. RHP Clay Buchholz will be called upon to pitch against the Padres in his place. ... OF Andrew Benintendi (left knee sprain) was running the bases again but not ready to take swings.
Athletics: C Josh Phegley is being shut down for the season because of inflammation in his right knee that landed him in the hospital last weekend. He also dealt with strep throat and manager Bob Melvin said he's unsure whether that could have triggered further trouble with the knee. ... RHP Sonny Gray threw from 105 feet as he tries to work back from a strained right forearm before the end of the season. Until he throws off a mound, it's unclear whether he will pitch again in 2016.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-6, 5.35 ERA) has allowed three or fewer runs in seven of his eight outings since the All-Star break and has a 3.22 ERA with 40 strikeouts to 16 walks.
Athletics: RHP Kendall Graveman (10-9, 3.96) seeks his first career decision against the Red Sox in his third appearance. After beginning 1-6 over his initial nine starts, Graveman is 9-3 with a 3.36 ERA in his last 17.
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