Editor’s note: Washington C.H. native Travis Shaw smacked his fourth home run of the season Tuesday night, going 3-4 with a double (his 11th, tying him for 5th in the American League) and 5 RBI (giving him 23 on the season, tied for 10th in the AL). He is now 6th in the American League in batting with a .322 average.
BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox didn’t have their biggest bat in the lineup on Tuesday night.
They did just fine without him.
Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez and Travis Shaw each homered and the Boston Red Sox continued their strong hitting with a 13-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics.
The Red Sox had a season-high 16 hits, and Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his major league-best hitting streak to 16 games as Boston won its third straight. Shaw tied his career high with five RBIs.
“Every at-bat everybody comes with something,” Ramirez said. “It’s the whole team. …What we’re doing right now, we gotta keep doing it.”
Adding to the impressive display was it all came when David Ortiz, who entered Tuesday leading Boston with a .321 average and nine home runs, had the night off.
The Athletics lost their fourth consecutive game.
First-inning home runs by Betts and Ramirez gave the Red Sox a 3-0 lead. Then the Red Sox followed that up with a five-run third inning to blow the game open.
Sean O’Sullivan (1-0) got the victory in his first start with the Red Sox after signing a minor league contract in December.
“It was nice. The guys go out there and put up a big lead for me. It was my job just to keep getting them back in the dugout and keep the bats going,” O’Sullivan said.
Oakland’s Sean Manaea (0-1) had his second straight rough outing, giving up 10 hits and eight runs in 2 2-3 innings.
The Red Sox won for the fifth time in seven games and have outscored the A’s 27-12 in the first two games of the series.
O’Sullivan went six innings, giving up four runs and 12 hits, while striking out three.
In his past two starts, Manaea has allowed 12 runs and 17 hits.
“I felt like I was maybe getting inside but looking back on it I was pretty much throwing it down the middle,” Manaea said. “It’s just frustrating because I know I’m a lot better than this.”
Boston got the scoring going early.
Betts led off the bottom of the first with his fifth homer of the season and Ramirez added a two-run shot later in the inning, his fourth of the year. Shaw added his fourth of the season in the fifth inning.
O’Sullivan was called up on Friday, taking the roster spot of Henry Owens, who was sent to Triple-A Pawtucket.
With big run support, O’Sullivan allowed seven hits through five innings, before giving up five hits and four runs in the sixth.
Billy Butler had three hits and Coco Crisp two RBIs to lead Oakland.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: IF/OF Mark Canha (back strain) and RHP Liam Hendriks (strained right triceps) are on the 15-day disabled list. The A’s recalled RHP Andrew Triggs, LHP Daniel Coulombe from Triple-A Nashville and added IF Tyler Ladendorf to the active roster, which has been depleted by injuries.
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (right knee) is scheduled to pitch his next rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday. He is coming off his third rehab start on Saturday, in which he threw 93 pitches in 5 2/3 innings. Farrell said Rodriguez is making strides in both his mobility and stability on his knee.
FAMILY AFFAIR
O’Sullivan has been well-travelled, playing for four teams before getting picked up by Boston. He had his wife, children, father and sister in the stands to see him snap a nine-start winless streak. “Definitely a moment that I will have memory-banked,” O’Sullivan said.
MOVING PIECES
In addition to Canha and Hendriks moving to the DL Tuesday, Oakland also optioned RHP J.B. Wendelken to Triple-A Nashville, and recalled Triggs and Ladendorf. The Athletics also selected the contract of Coulombe from Nashville. To make room for Coulombe on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Chris Bassitt was transferred to the 60-day DL. Triggs and Coulombe both played Tuesday.
