Red Sox blow a golden opportunity to extend hot streak in 4-3 loss to the A’s - Over the Monster

What the report says

Over The Monster reported that the Boston Red Sox missed a chance to extend their strong summer run, losing 4-3 to the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, on July 28. The site described the game as one Boston appeared positioned to take, noting that the Athletics had lost 24 of their previous 30 games while the Red Sox had won 23 of 27 entering the night.

The decisive stretch came late. Boston trailed 1-0 before Athletics catcher Brian Serven hit his first major league home run in four years in the seventh inning, expanding the deficit to 3-0. The Red Sox then loaded up an opportunity in the eighth, with four of the first five batters reaching, but Romy Gonzalez grounded into a costly double play and Ceddanne Rafaela struck out with the tying runs aboard. Boston finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, stranded chances created by six walks and hit into three double plays.

Connor Wong’s two-run homer in the ninth cut the margin to one, while Masataka Yoshida and Anthony Seigler contributed off the bench during Boston’s attempted comeback. Over The Monster also questioned whether interim decisions around starter Jake Bennett and the bullpen reflected a need for more relief depth ahead of the trade deadline.

The loss mattered because it interrupted a period in which Boston had been playing like one of baseball’s hottest teams. The report said Patrick Sandoval was scheduled to start the next game of the series against Jacob Lopez, with a Dodgers series looming later on the California trip.