BOSTON (AP) — Pinch-hitter Nick Sogard’s 10th-inning infield grounder off Michael Kelly drove home Nate Eaton with the winning run, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Athletics 5-4 on Wednesday night for their American League-leading 11th walk-off win of the season.
Eaton started the inning as the designated runner at second base, took third on Carlos Narvaez’s sacrifice bunt, and scored with a head-first slide to avoid the tag by catcher Shea Langeliers.
Boston’s Chris Murphy (3-0) got the win, pitching one-third of an inning. Kelly (4-4) took the loss.
Masataka Yoshida singled in a run in the first for the Red Sox and Rob Refsnyder gave them a 2-1 edge with a leadoff homer in the second, his ninth of the season.
The Athletics got a run in second off Boston right-hander Lucas Giolito, as Darell Hernaiz’s sacrifice fly scored Lawrence Butler. It was the first of Hernaiz’s three RBIs in the game, matching a career high.
The Athletics added three runs in the fifth as Butler drew a bases-loaded walk and Hernaiz added a two-run single.
Boston came back with a run in fifth and another in the sixth to tie it at 4.
Trevor Story, who stole a base in the sixth inning, was caught trying to steal second to end the eighth. It was the first time he was caught attempting to steal this season, after 31 consecutive successful steals, the longest such streak to start a season in the American League since stolen bases were first recorded in 1920.
With two outs, the bases loaded and a 1-2 count to No. 8 hitter Hernaiz in the fifth inning, Boston left-hander Justin Wilson allowed a two-run single, giving the Athletics a two-run lead. In the bottom of the inning, Boston loaded the bases with no outs but scored just one run despite an Athletics error and misplay.
The Red Sox, who are 21-26 in one-run games this season, went 3 for 17 with runners in scoring position and are 7 for 38 (.184) in such situations through the first five games of this six-game homestand.
The Athletics and Red Sox wrap up their season series Thursday afternoon. RHP J.T. Ginn (3-6, 4.69 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Athletics, opposed by RHP Brayan Bello (11-7, 3.25).
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