RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesWEST SACRAMENTO — Instant reactions from the Red Sox ‘ 4-2 win over the Athletics on Monday at Sutter Health Park:
1. Boston improved to 55-50 while the Athletics dropped to 44-62. The Red Sox are 18-3 in July and won their 10th straight game on the road. They are 23-4 since June 25.
2. Ceddanne Rafaela’s first career grand slam and 11th homer this season put the Red Sox ahead 4-1 in the sixth inning. It was only Boston’s second hit of the game. The All-Star center fielder connected on a slider from left-handed reliever José Suarez and belted it 382 feet, just clearing the left field wall.
3. Boston didn’t record its first hit against A’s starter Jack Perkins until Connor Wong doubled to lead off the sixth inning. Perkins retired the next two hitters, Masataka Yoshida and Anthony Seigler, on groundouts before walking Willson Contreras.
Suarez replaced Perkins with runners at the corners. He walked Wilyer Abreu to load the bases, then allowed Rafaela’s grand slam.
4. Rafaela was hitting fifth in the batting order after starting his previous 51 games in the No. 2 hole. Interim manager Chad Tracy put newly-acquired Curtis Mead in the second spot in the batting order and moved Rafaela to fifth .
“Rafa has done an amazing job hitting second, but there has been a number of circumstances just based on a need getting him there that we’ve had him red lighted as a runner because of who’s hitting behind him,” Tracy said before the game.
Tracy said Rafaela will be able to steal more bases hitting fifth with Caleb Durbin , Jarren Duran and Andruw Monasterio hitting behind him.
5. Curtis Mead , who the Red Sox acquired in a trade with the Nationals on Saturday, went 0-for-1 with a hit by pitch in his debut before being removed in the fifth inning due to a left wrist contusion.
Athletics starter Jack Perkins hit Mead on the left wrist with a 94.9 mph four-seam fastball to lead off the fourth inning.
Mead remained in the game and played at second base in the bottom of the fourth inning. But the Red Sox replaced him at second base with Anthony Seigler to begin the bottom of the fifth inning.
6. The A’s took a 1-0 lead against Red Sox starter Payton Tolle in the first inning when Tyler Soderstrom belted his 17th home run of the season. Soderstrom connected on a 96.6 mph sinker left at the top of the zone and hit it 375 feet to left-center field.
7. Both runs against Tolle came on solo homers. Tolle also allowed a leadoff home run to Jonah Heim in the sixth inning, which cut Boston’s lead to 4-2.
8. Tolle pitched 5 ⅓ innings, allowing two runs, five hits and one walk while striking out seven. He recorded 16 swings and misses: eight with his four-seam fastball, six with his cutter and two with his sinker.
9. Justin Slaten, Jovani Morán , Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman kept the Athletics scoreless over the final 3 ⅔ innings.
10. The Red Sox and Athletics will play the second game of their four-game series Tuesday at 9:40 p.m. ET. Lefty Jake Bennett (6-3, 2.58 ERA) will start for Boston while left-hander Gage Jump (3-6, 4.42 ERA) will start for Oakland.
More Red Sox coverage
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How Red Sox trade, roster moves affect batting order, shortstop, playing time
Red Sox lineup: Trade addition makes debut; Ceddanne Rafaela moved in order
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