Pomeranz, Benintendi lead Red Sox past Oakland

RED SOX 6, ATHLETICS 2

BOSTON — Drew Pomeranz knew it was likely the last batter he'd face. He figured he had to make one of his best pitches.

Pomeranz threw six innings of one-run ball, finishing by striking out Matt Olson with the bases loaded, and Andrew Benintendi had three hits and drove in three runs to lead the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox past the Oakland Athletics 6-2 on Thursday.

With two outs, a full count and the game tied at 1, Pomeranz got Olson swinging on a high, 92 mph fastball.

"In that big situation, making a big pitch is a huge deal when you can wiggle your way out of a jam" Pomeranz said. "He wasn't chasing the curveball. I got 3-2 on him and I gave all that I have left to make one good pitch and he swung. Luckily, he missed it and that's what I wanted."

The added reward was that his teammates took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning, setting him up for the win.

"Another quality start on his part," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "There was a number of big moments in this game and for Drew himself, probably the last pitch he threw today, the strikeout to Olson, that was going to be his last pitch of the day."

Pomeranz ( 16-5) allowed five hits, walking three and striking out five to raise his record to 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last six starts in Fenway Park. He also tied teammate

Chris Sale and two others for the AL lead in victories.

Christian Vazquez hit a solo homer and Mitch Moreland added an RBI double for the Red Sox, who have won six of eight.

Boston began the day with a three- game lead over the second-place New York Yankees.

Ryon Healy hit a solo homer for the A's, who fell for just the second time in eight games. The loss assured Oakland (64-82) of a losing record for the third straight season.

"We had some opportunities, and we had a couple base running mistakes early in the game that cost us," A's manager Bob Melvin said.

Benintendi doubled high off the Green Monster, chasing Daniel Gossett (4-9) and scoring Dustin Pedroia to make it 2-1 in the sixth.

Trailing 1-0, Boston tied it when Vazquez's drive completely left Fenway over the Monster seats leading off the fifth.

The A's had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the inning on Josh Phegley's sacrifice fly.

YANKEES 13, ORIOLES 5

Aaron Judge had a pair of three-run homers for a career-best six RBIs, Todd Frazier hit a three-run homer that chased Wade Miley with one out in a six-run first inning and the New York Yankees routed the fading Baltimore Orioles. Judge hit an opposite-field drive over New York’s bullpen in right-center in the fourth against Mike Wright, then lined a 448-foot drive into the second deck in left in the sixth off Rich Rodriguez. Judge has 43 homers and 96 RBIs, and with 27 homers at Yankee Stadium this year broke the ballpark’s season record set by Curtis Granderson in 2012.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CARDINALS 5, REDS 2

Rookie Luke Weaver threw six innings of two- hit ball, Tommy Pham drove in two runs and stole two bases, and St. Louis topped Cincinnati. The Cardinals have won five of six. They are 21/ games behind Colorado for the second NL wild-card spot. Weaver (6-1) allowed one unearned run, struck out six and didn’t walk a batter. He’s 3-0 with a 0.99 ERA through his first three starts in September.