After blowing a two run lead and losing a tough 12-inning 7-6 decision to the Oakland Athletics on Saturday night that ended an eight game win streak, the Boston Red Sox got 7.0 innings of scoreless baseball from Nick Pivetta Sunday afternoon to take a 1-0 win in the rubber game of the three game series at the Oakland Coliseum.
Both starting pitchers were on their A game, as Oakland starter James Kaprielian (4-3) also went 7.0 innings and only allowed one run on five hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts. The only run of the game came when Rafael Devers grounded into a double play in the sixth inning allowing Alex Verdugo to score. The Athletics (49-37) had a chance to tie it or win it in the ninth off Matt Barnes when Matt Olson led off with a single, and Jed Lowrie worked a one out walk. Barnes got Ramon Laureano to hit into a force out, and then recorded his 500th career strikeout when Seth Brown struck out swinging to end it.
Verdugo with two hits was the only hitter that had multiple hits in the game. Pivetta (7-3) allowed two hits, walked two, and struck out 10. Garrett Whitlock picked up his eighth hold and Barnes got his 19th save. Boston is now 53-32 on the season. The Red Sox start a three game series with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at 9:38 p.m., sending LHP Martin Perez (6-4, 4.04 ERA) to the mound in the opener. Perez will be opposed by LHP Jose Suarez (3-1, 1.98).
