Red Sox Recap: Miley walks tightrope in 2-0 Sox win

Red Sox teams have a tradition – they usually go to the West Coast to die. Elephants have some mythical graveyard, but the Red Sox have three – all in the famed left coast. This time around Boston captured two from the A’s with the rubber game being a 2-0 win on Wednesday afternoon. Will they carry this to Seattle?

Sometimes the best pitcher doesn’t win the game and that was Sonny Gray, who the Red Sox handed his first loss of the season (4-1). For Boston Wade Miley played magic man escaping numerous jams and allowing no runs and placing his record at 2-4. The Red Sox bullpen stepped up and a flair single was the big hit for Boston.

The Red Sox opened up the scoring against A’s right-hander Gray in the top of the second.

Hanley Ramirez banged out a single and eventually wandered into second on a Gray wild pitch. Daniel Nava brought Ramirez in with a looping soft fly to left with two outs and the Red Sox had a 1-0 lead.

Miley was on a dangerous ledge in the first two frames allowing three walks and a hit, but in the top of the third the A’s Marcus Semien led off with a triple. Was this the beginning of another Miley fade? Not this time. Miley settled down and the A’s left Semien nesting on third. Oakland was racking up the LOB’s.

In the last of the sixth Miley gave up a single to Billy Butler and a walk to Brett Lawrie to put two on with no outs. Would the roof fall in? Nope. Miley went 1-2-3 and escaped again.

With two outs in the seventh manager John Farrell pulled Miley and turned the game over to the bullpen.

For the A’s Gray tossed seven innings of superlative pitching allowing a lone run on three hits with no walks and nine K’s.

The Red Sox were looking for insurance in the eighth off the A’s bullpen and Evan Scribner and they got it with a bit of help from Semien.

Nava got his second hit of the day and after Jackie Bradley displayed a lack of bunting skills, Sandy Leon took one for the team with a HBP putting runners on first and second. After Mookie Betts (0-4, 3 K’s) struck out up stepped Dustin Pedroia for a ground ball single to deep short. Semien air mailed the throw and Boston took a 2-0 lead.

Junichi Tazawa went 1.1 innings with two strikeouts for the hold. Then came Koji Uehara and a save as the A’s went 0-13 in RISP and had eight left on base.

On to Seattle where the M’s will present left-hander Roenis Elias (0-1, 3.86) to do pitching battle with Joe Kelly (1-2, 6.35).

Game Notes

* Pablo Sandoval is now hitting .059 right-handed pitching (2 for 34).

* Why can’t we get players like this? Josh Reddick is slashing .296/.358/.521 against Boston.

* Coco Crisp is slashing .188/.252/.272 against Boston in his career.

* Pawtucket remains in first place in the IL North. Fourth best ERA in IL.

* Boston’s starting pitching had a BABIP of .325 entering the game.

* Boston’s offense has the highest (9.8%) BB% in the AL.

. Game Ball. Wade Miley. STARTING PITCHING . A-

Wade “Houdini” Miley as the A’s had their chances against Miley. First and third with one out and did not score. Runner on third and no outs and, again, did not score. Runner on second with one out and did not score. Toss in defensive support such as a great

Jackie Bradley

throw and a nice pick by

Pablo Sandoval

and the Red Sox were showing some nice leather for Miley. Miley finally closed out his afternoon with 6.2 innings, no runs, five hits, a lone strikeout and four walks. Miley tossed 99 pitches and lowered his ERA to 5.60.

Junichi Tazawa. RELIEF PITCHING . A. . Game Ball

Tazawa and Koji went 2.1 innings with just a walk allowed by Koji.

Game Ball. Daniel Nava. OFFENSE . D.

Six hits and the game winner was a flare to left field by Nava – one of his two hits. Ramirez and Pedroia also had a pair of hits.

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