WEST SACRAMENTO – A familiar pattern emerged for the Red Sox in this four-game series at Sutter Health Park. The bats would go cold in the early innings, only to come to life later. It was a formula that mostly worked.
Boston rode back-to-back homers by Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras to open the eighth inning, turning a 4-3 deficit into a lead, and coming away with a 5-4 victory that allowed interim manager Chad Tracy’s team to take three out of four from the Athletics.
For the surging Sox, that makes seven straight series victories leading into a marquee, three-game showdown that starts Friday night at Dodger Stadium. The Sox are 12-1 on the road in their last two trips and 20-3 overall since July 3.
1. Abreu, Contreras both snap slumps
Contreras has been Boston’s best hitter for most of the season, but was in a 1-for-16 spell when he stepped up in that key spot in the eighth. For Contreras, home run No. 23 was a no-doubter, and he enjoyed admiring it as it traveled a Statcast-projected 414 feet to left. The always-emotional Contreras pounded his chest where the uniform said “Boston,” and shouted at his teammates as he circled the bases.
But it was Abreu who first tied up the festivities, breaking out of a slump of his own. The left-handed hitter had two hits in his last 35 at-bats before the equalizing solo shot.
2. Sonny finishes strong
It was far from Sonny Gray’s best start of the year, but the 36-year-old veteran showed his usual guile by going seven innings. In fact, Gray’s last frame was the best, as he struck out the side to keep his team within reach, down a run. Gray had turned in nine consecutive quality starts from May 30-July 19, but wasn’t able to get one in either of his last two starts.
Gray scattered seven hits while allowing four earned runs to go with two walks and five strikeouts in his 97-pitch performance. He kept his team within range at 4-3, and the homers by Abreu and Contreras made a winner out of him after his exit.
3. Bullpen again gets it done
Thanks to Gray eating up innings, the Sox only needed two innings from a bullpen that has worked hard as of late. Greg Weissert, who usually pitches earlier in the game, took care of the eighth. Aroldis Chapman, who got the win on Wednesday after nearly giving up a walk-off homer, came on for his 26th save.