Red Sox at Athletics
The Oakland Athletics have used the long ball to get the best of the visiting Boston Red Sox and will aim for a four-game sweep when the teams cap their series Sunday afternoon. After hitting three home runs in a series-opening victory and then using a walk-off homer by Mark Canha to win Friday's matchup in 10 innings, the A's went deep four times in Saturday's 8-3 triumph.
Canha had one of the blasts and Khris Davis launched his team-leading 13th as Oakland won for the fourth time in its last five games. The Athletics finished the contest with an American League-leading 63 homers, nearly double Boston's AL-worst 37. Red Sox left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez will try to slow down Oakland's bats when he gets the start opposite Andrew Triggs. Rodriguez has allowed only one home run in his last five starts, four of which resulted in wins for Boston.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), NBC Sports California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (2-1, 3.05 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Andrew Triggs (5-2, 2.12)
Rodriguez has lasted exactly six innings in each of his last five outings while posting a 2.40 ERA. He allowed three runs on five hits at St. Louis on Tuesday to pick up his second victory of the season. The 24-year-old tossed eight scoreless innings - allowing only an infield single with two outs in the eighth - in his one prior start against the Athletics, which came Sept. 4 in Oakland.
Triggs pulled into the weekend's action ranked fourth in the AL in ERA and he has allowed one run in six frames in each of his last two outings. The Tennessee native has walked six batters over his last three starts after issuing just three free passes over his previous four appearances. Triggs has given up four runs (two earned) in four innings against Boston spread over three encounters last year.
WALK-OFFS
1. Boston manager John Farrell indicated that 2B Dustin Pedroia - who has a 23-game hitting streak against Oakland - may get a day off Sunday.
2. Athletics 1B Yonder Alonso (knee) has missed three straight games and is day-to-day.
3. Red Sox LHP David Price (elbow) is scheduled to make one more rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday before rejoining the rotation.