Boston drops 3rd straight
Kaprielian gets 1st MLB win as A’s outlast Red Sox
James Kaprielian got the victory in his first major league start with five innings of one-run ball, Matt Olson homered and the Oakland Athletics held off the Boston Red Sox 4-1 Wednesday night.
Sean Murphy and Jed Lowrie also had RBIS for the A’s, who will try for a three-game sweep Thursday.
Burch Smith and Lou Trivino combined to pitch three scoreless innings for Oakland, and Jake Diekman completed a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.
Boston has lost three straight.
Kaprielian (1-0) settled down after a rocky first inning and ended his night after giving up just four hits and three walks with six strikeouts.
The right-hander made his first start of the season at Triple-a Las Vegas last week but got the call after starters Jesus Luzardo and Mike Fiers both went on the injured list. He made two big league relief appearances last season.
Oakland pounded out seven hits and four runs against Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez (5-1). He struck out nine but also balked in a run and didn’t get the run support he received in his previous six starts.
Boston entered the night leading the major leagues in runs (190), but it struggled with runners on base. The Red Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning, had runners on the corners with no outs in the fifth, and runners at second and third with one out in the eighth.
Meanwhile, the A’s did just enough with their handful of opportunities.
With the score tied 1-1, Mitch Moreland led off the fifth with a single, followed by Elvis Andrus’ double. Rodriguez struck out Mark Canha, but Lowrie’s groundout to Xander Bogaerts was deep enough to score Moreland and move Andrus to third.
The lead grew to 3-1 when Rodriguez was called for a balk, scoring Andrus.
Oakland center fielder Ramon Laureano was called out on strikes to end the A’s half of the third inning. He remained at the plate arguing as Boston’s players exited. He eventually threw both his batting helmet and bat and was ejected by home plate umpire Ryan Wills.
Laureano made a few steps toward Wills and pointed emphatically at Wills’ face before being restrained by members of the coaching staff.