OAKLAND — The Athletics played an errorless game, got two-run home runs from Shea Langeliers and JJ Bleday and an overpowering relief effort from Mason Miller but it wasn’t enough in a 5-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox Tuesday night at the Coliseum
Boston pushed across a run in the seventh on a run-scoring double play by Tyler O’Neill against losing pitcher Mitch Spence (0-1) . Wilyer Abreu opened the inning at second base and went to third on a single by Reece McGuire. O’Neill’s double play ball to J.D. Davis at third scored Abreu and the Red Sox led 5-4.
In the bottom of the 11th, Josh Winckowski (2-0) stranded his free runner at second base with the help of center field Cedanne Rafaela, who ran down an extra-base hit attempt by Langeliers. He struck out Lawrence Butler to end the game.
The A’s fell to 1-5 before a crowd of 5,112. Boston, 4-2, plays a getaway day game against Wednesday. The A’s had made eight errors in their previous two games and a major league high 13 going in to the game.
The two-run home runs by Langeliers in the second and Bleday in the third was the first of the season for both. It also ended the scoring for the night for the A’s.
Miller, a starter last year who is being used as a closer, threw scoreless innings in the ninth and 10th. He walked one, struck out four and threw five pitches at 101.4 miles per hour or better with a high of 102.4. He threw 29 pitches with 20 strikes.
The A’s had a runner at third with no out in the 10th but couldn’t score off reliever Winckowski. Free runner Ryan Noda was sacrificed to third by Zach Gelof, with JJ Bleday walked intentionally. J.D. Davis then hit a comebacker that trapped Noda off third for the second out, with Seth Brown striking out to end the inning.
Langeliers’ home run came with two out in the second inning against Brayan Bello to tie the score 2-2. It traveled 386 feet to left center and scored Davis, who doubled to right to lead off the inning. Davis went to third on a ground out and was in danger of being stranded when Brent Rooker struck out.
In the fourth, Bleday’s 406-foot shot to right center put the A’s up 4-3. It brought home Ryan Noda, who was on base with a one-out single.
Boston tied it in the seventh on a run-scoring single to right by Story against Lucas Erceg. It came moments after McFarland had retired the dangerous Rafael Devers on a 4-6-3 double play that sent Jarren Duran to third. Pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida doubled to right to put runners at second and third, Triston Casas was intentionally walked and Erceg retired Rafaela on a soft liner to short.
Starting pitcher Alex Wood pitched into the fifth inning but was on a short leash, having thrown 88 pitches, He was pulled when he walked the left-handed Triston Casas — he would have been pulled anyway — and right-hander Austin Adams emerged to pitch the A’s out of the inning without further damage.
Although he gave up single runs in the first three innings, it was a major improvement for Wood, who gave up seven hits and six earned runs in his 3 1/3 inning Opening Day start against Cleveland.
Boston reached Wood for an RBI double by Story in the first, a run-scoring single by Duran in the second and an RBI single by Reyes in the third. Wood walked two and struck out seven, giving up no runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
The A’s squandered an opportunity in the seventh to take the lead against Isaiah Campbell when Lawrence Butler opened with a double to right center. Nick Allen, the No. 9 hitter, was called upon to sacrifice Butler to second. Three foul balls later, Allen had struck out, leaving Butler at second. Noda’s grounder to third moved Butler to third, but Zach Gelof flied to center for the third out.