Betts has 2 HRs, 6 RBIs as Red Sox roll past Athletics
BOSTON — Mookie Betts can’t pinpoint exactly what has changed about his swing lately. The Red Sox right fielder just knows it’s starting to feel pretty good.
Betts hit two home runs and a tworun triple, and Boston rolled past the Oakland Athletics 11-1 on Tuesday night.
The Red Sox, winners of five of their last six, pushed their American League East lead back to four games over the Yankees following New York’s loss to 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay.
Betts went 3 for 5 with six RBIs. He’s driven in three runs or more in a team-high 11 games.
“I think this is the most consistent I’ve been,” he said. “This is the time where things are a little more magnified due to the playoff race. If I am more relaxed, then that’s good.”
The loss snapped a five-game win streak for the A’s, who scored 41 runs in a four-game sweep of the AL Westleading Houston Astros. They managed just one run and one hit off Eduardo Rodriguez (5-5), who struck out nine over six innings.
In his second career start at Fenway Park, Sean Manaea (10-10) was pulled after giving up seven earned runs on 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings. Last season, he allowed eight runs over 2 2/3 innings in Boston.
“Just falling behind guys,” Manaea said. “When I did throw a strike, it was kind of right down the middle.”
The Red Sox scored at least nine runs for the third time in four games.
Boston blew the game open with a five-run second inning, getting RBI singles from Xander Bogaerts, Christian Vazquez and Dustin Pedroia before Betts cleared the bases with his triple.
“Offensively a very good night, particularly with the number of hits we took the other way,” manager John Farrell said. “That’s always a positive sign for us.”
Cold bats — The A’s had three or fewer hits for the 12th time, tied with the Chicago Cubs for the most such games in the majors this season.