G145: Athletics 7, Red Sox 3

Athletics - 402 001 000 - 7  8  0
Red Sox   - 101 010 000 - 3  9  0

Doug Fister had his usual rough first inning, but this time, it involved allowing more runs than in past starts, and it left the the Red Sox in a hole from which they could not escape. Fister lasted only four innings (4-6-6-1-4, 84) and the Red Sox did not make much noise at the plate after the third inning.

The loss left Boston 3 GA of the Yankees (who beat the Rays 3-2) in the East with 17 games left in the regular season. The Red Sox will finish up this series at 1:30 PM tomorrow.

Marcus Semien singled to begin the game, but Fister struck out Matt Joyce on three pitches and got ahead of Jed Lowrie 0-2. But that short run of good pitches did not continue. Lowrie worked the count full and tripled into the right field corner. The Red Sox brought the infield in and Khris Davis blooped a single over Dustin Pedroia's head and Oakland led 2-0. Then Matt Olson hit a two-run homer into the bullpen.

Boston scored once in their half of the inning. With one out, Pedroia singled and went to third on Andrew Benintendi's double down the right field line. Mookie Betts went after the first pitch and grounded out to third, but Pedroia scored. The Red Sox were more aggressive than normal at the plate tonight. Nine of the 21 batters who faced Jharel Cotton (5-6-3-2-3, 80) saw three or fewer pitches.

Oakland upped its lead to 6-1 in the third. Joyce singled and scored on Lowrie's double off the wall (ending an 11-pitch at-bat). Lowrie went to third on a groundout and after Olson was walked intentionally, Chad Pinder grounded to second. Pedroia gloved the ball and Olson stopped and retreated to first. Pedroia chased him and tagged him on the back, but threw too late to first. Lowrie scored on the play. On replays, it was clear that Pedroia had the baseball in his right hand, ready to throw, when he tagged Olson with the empty glove on his left hand (which should not have resulted in an out). However, the A's did not challenge the umpire's blown call.

The Red Sox had their best chance at getting back in the game in the third. Xander Bogaerts and Pedroia both singled with one out. Benintendi hit his second double of the night, scoring Bogaerts and sending Pedroia to third. Betts walked on five pitches, loading the bases and bringing up Mitch Moreland as the potential tying run. On a 2-2 pitch, he grounded to first. Olson charged the ball near the line, stepped on the bag and threw home in plenty of time for Bruce Maxwell to tag Pedroia for a double play.

Jackie Bradley led off the fifth with his 16th home run of the year. Bogaerts followed with a walk, but Pedroia struck out and Benintendi hit into a double play. Boston wasted a one-out double by Moreland in the sixth (now, he hits...). Pedroia collected his third hit of the game in the seventh - his second straight game with three hits - but Benintendi stranded two runners.

Also: Cleveland won their 21st consecutive game this afternoon, beating the Tigers 5-3. The win set a new American League record.

Jharel Cotton / Doug Fister

Bogaerts, SS
Pedroia, 2B
Benintendi, LF
Betts, RF
Moreland, 1B
Ramirez, DH
Devers, 3B
Leon, C
Bradley, CF

In Doug Fister's last four starts, he has pitched at least seven innings and allowed two earned runs or fewer. Only three other American League pitchers have had a similar four-start stretch this year: Chris Sale, Dallas Keuchel, and Corey Kluber.

Jharel Cotton, a rookie right-hander, has a 5.82 ERA in 22 starts this season.

Mookie! In the last week, Betts is 9-for-25 (.360), with six extra-base hits. "I think it's the most consistent I've been [this season]."

Eduardo Nunez will be out at least a week with a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Nunez expects to return to the lineup before the end of the regular season, but manager John Farrell could not offer that guarantee.

MFY Watch: The Yankees are 4 GB. MFY/TBR, 1 PM (at Citi Field). ... Q: "in peril" means non-existent, right?