Pivetta whiffs 10, pitches Boston past A’s
Sox were in need of extended start after long game Saturday
Oakland, Calif. The Red Sox absolutely needed this kind of deep, efficient outing from Nick Pivetta with Boston’s bullpen drained and down following a pair of extrainning games.
His emotion on the mound also provided great energy with many Red Sox fans in the seats.
Pivetta struck out 10 over seven innings to win for the first time in seven starts, Boston went ahead on a double-play groundout by Rafael Devers in the sixth and the Red Sox capped a winning series against the Oakland Athletics with a 1-0 victory on Sunday.
“I’m an emotional, energized guy. I really care about everybody on this team, I really want to do good for them, every single day I want to show up for them,” Pivetta said. “And I want to pump them up, too. I want to be energetic and I want us to have fun, and I want us to go out there and show ourselves every single night.”
The teams played a third straight one-run game after splitting a pair of extra-inning contests, including Oakland’s 7-6, 12-inning victory Saturday that snapped Boston’s eight-game winning streak.
Pivetta (7-3) allowed two hits and walked two. He had been 0-3 since beating Atlanta on May 26.
“He was incredible today,” Oakland’s Chad Pinder said.
Manager Alex Cora sure appreciated not having to further tax his relievers and how Pivetta realized the task.
“Outstanding,” Cora said. “He set the tempo right away in the first inning. He struck out the side. He understands where we’re at . ... Probably his best one.”
Alex Verdugo had two hits for a Red Sox squad that is 10-3 during a stretch with 16 straight games and 19 in 20 days.
Garrett Whitlock pitched the eighth for Boston before All-star closer Matt Barnes escaped trouble to finish for his 19th save in 23 chances. He allowed Matt Olson’s leadoff single then a one-out walk to Jed Lowrie.
“It seemed like each game had a different personality to it,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “Both starting pitchers were fantastic today. Tough to get good swings off him let alone string together a bunch of hits.”