*Photo from the Global Circulate*
Kike Hernandez has been one of the hottest hitters in the Boston Red Sox lineup during their latest win streak. It was his efforts on Friday night that helped their win streak continue to 8 games. Hernandez drove in the go ahead run, threw out the tying run at the plate, and the Red Sox defeated the Oakland Athletics 3-2 in 10 innings.
Hernandez threw out Seth Brown at the plate in the 10th inning after catching a fly ball from Sean Murphy, turning a key double play that kept the Red Sox in front, and gave them the win. It was Hernandez's 4th outfield assist of the season, and the second hardest he's thrown the ball. As a team, the Red Sox outfield has combined for 20 defensive runs saved(DRS) entering the game, second best in baseball.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said "The way we play defense in the outfield is elite. I know a lot of people, they had their doubts coming into the season because we didn’t have Mookie, Benny, and Jackie, but these three guys(Hernandez, Alex Verdugo, and Hunter Renfroe) are playing up there. They’re playing elite defense."
Rafael Devers, recently named the all star starter at 3rd base for the AL, got the scoring started with an RBI double in the 4th inning, making it 1-0 Red Sox to start. In the 5th, Verdugo took a ground ball the other way, turning it into an RBI single and a 2-0 lead for Boston. After Oakland tied the game, Hernandez hit the go ahead RBI single in the 10th to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead, that they held on to.
Matt Barnes got the win for the Red Sox, despite blowing his 4th save of the season in the 9th inning, improving to 4-2 this season. Eduardo Rodriguez turned in another solid outing for the Red Sox, allowing just one hit and two walks while racking up 6 strikeouts over 6 shutout innings. Garrett Whitlock allowed one run in two innings pitched, and Adam Ottavino picked up his 6th save of the season in the 10th inning.
Rodriguez credited his success to the defense behind him, saying "I can put my life in front of whatever because I know they’re gonna protect my life too. These guys are amazing. Every time, I get a ground ball, fly ball or whatever, I know they’re going to make a good play."
Oakland got their scoring started in the 7th inning, when former Red Sox Jed Lowrie cranked a solo homer to right field, cutting Boston's lead to 2-1. They went on to tie the game in the 9th, on Elvis Andrus's first homer of the season, a solo shot to center field.
Oakland manager Bob Melvin said "You look at Boston's numbers coming in offensively and they’ve been swinging the bat as well as anybody in baseball for some time now. They grinded at-bats and made him work. At the end of the day, he comes out with two runs allowed. Against a team like that, he pitched well."
The Red Sox and A's continue their series tonight, with Cole Irvin getting the start for Oakland, and Garrett Richards getting the nod for Boston.
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