The Athletics took on the Boston Red Sox in the season finale between the two teams. J.T. Ginn took the mound today at historic Fenway Park against Brayan Bello for Boston.
The A’s jumped out early with a series of extra-base hits before an out was even recorded. Leadoff hitter Lawrence Butler doubled off the Green Monster, and Brent Butler decided to go over the wall with this rocket, hitting his 30th homer of the season.
Nick Kurtz doubled, and Soderstrom singled to drive in Kurtz. It wasn’t until the fifth batter, Jacob Wilson hit into a fielder’s choice that the first out was recorded. But then JJ Bleday grounded into an inning-ending double play. J.T. Ginn got to take the mound staked to a 3-0 lead. Trevor Story kept his hot hitting alive with a double in the bottom of the first. Alex Bregman singled to move him to third. Then Masataka Yoshida hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Story. At the end of one inning, the A’s led 3-1.
David Hamilton hit the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the second into the right field bullpen to tighten the score to 3-2.
In the top of the third, Kurtz and Soderstrom each walked with two outs. Jacob Wilson singled and Kurtz was able to score on a throwing error by Trevor Story. Soderstrom advanced to third. That play gave the A’s a 4-2 lead.
The A’s tacked on another run in the seventh when Lawrence Butler singled, stole second and moved to third on a Rooker ground out. He scored when Kurtz reached on yet another error by Trevor Story. Headed to the bottom of the seventh, the A’s led 5-2. Michael Kelly replaced J.T. Ginn in seventh. Ginn’s final line was six full innings, two earned runs on five hits, and one walk. He struck out three. Kelly gave up a single to Nate Eaton with one out, but Ceddanne Rafaela grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Hogan Harris replaced Kelly in the eighth inning. With one out, Trevor Story homered to tighten the score to 5-3 headed to the ninth inning.
Gelof struck out for the third time in the game to lead off the ninth. Butler K’d also to end the inning. Harris remained in the game to start the bottom of the ninth. Carlos Narváez strikes out swinging. Rob Refsnyder lined out to center fielder Lawrence Butler. Nick Sogard struck out swinging to end the game and lock in the save for Hogan Harris. The A’s took the series in Boston for the first time since 2021.
