Thanks to another strong night from the bullpen, and Andruw Monasterio’s homer, Red Sox win in extras
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — By the late innings of a tied game Wednesday night, the Red Sox liked their chances.
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Interim manager Chad Tracy had at his disposal the bullpen with the best ERA in the majors (3.03), including a full complement of all of his top arms. The Athletics, conversely, were working with a group of relievers that has posted the worst ERA in the sport: 5.55.
It took a while, but it eventually worked out the way one might expect, with the Red Sox emerging victorious, 4-2, in 10 innings.
Andruw Monasterio’s two-run home run off Jose Suarez proved to be the game-winner. Greg Weissert struck out two in a scoreless bottom of the 10th, capping a standout day for Sox relievers.
Tyron Guerrero, Justin Slaten, Garrett Whitlock, and Aroldis Chapman combined for four scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
The biggest came in the bottom of the ninth, after Lawrence Butler led off with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Needing to prevent Butler from crossing the plate, Chapman struck out Jacob Wilson and Jeff McNeil to send the game to the 10th.
Entering the extra inning, the Sox were 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position, with 13 men stranded on base — a regression to their early-season form, when the proverbial one big hit often proved elusive.
But Monasterio came through with his sixth homer of the campaign, driving in ghost runner Romy Gonzalez, and Whitlock closed it out to push the Red Sox (56-51) to their 19th win in their last 22 games.
Lefthander starter Patrick Sandoval navigated five innings, matching his longest outing since returning in early July, and held the Athletics to two runs, each coming on a solo homer.
Jonah Heim took Sandoval deep to left-center field to open the bottom of the second. After the Sox tied it in the fifth, Lawrence Butler’s shot to center in the bottom half of the inning put the Athletics back on top.
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Sandoval otherwise worked around five hits and two walks and struck out seven.
In his final frame, the Athletics put two on with one out, but struck out the Nos. 3-4 hitters: Tommy White (swinging at a changeup well outside the zone) and Tyler Soderstrom (looking at a changeup that just nipped the zone and was deemed a strike on Connor Wong’s challenge).
Turning in a remarkably similar performance was Athletics lefty Jacob Lopez, who went 5⅓ innings and gave up two runs, seven hits, and two walks. He struck out eight.
After a series of missed Sox opportunities early on — including a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the fourth — Jahmai Jones launched a tying solo homer to left in the top of the fifth.
Jones, acquired from the Tigers during the All-Star break, is up to two homers and two doubles with the Sox, matching his Detroit totals in the first half.
Sacramento native Nick Sogard, on his first day back in the majors, came through with a two-out tying RBI single in the sixth.
Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz exited after the first inning, minutes after Sandoval hit him on the left forearm with a 95-miles-per-hour sinker.
Kurtz, who returned last weekend from a right thumb injury, appeared to be in significant pain and was slow to get to first base. He stayed in to run the bases but in the top of the second was replaced at first base by Jeff McNeil.
It was the second time in the series that a team’s No. 2 hitter was plunked and left the game. On Monday, Curtis Mead was hit on the left wrist, suffering a fracture.
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