OAKLAND, Calif. — Xander Bogaerts homered and drove in three runs to celebrate becoming the Red Sox shortstop with the most games under his belt, and Boston kicked off a 10-date road trip with a 7-2 win Friday. on the Oakland Athletics.
Oakland is 7-21 at home, its worst start to a season at the Coliseum since the franchise moved from Kansas City in 1968.
Bogaerts played his 1,094th game at shortstop and passed Everett Scott, who held the previous club record. It was also the 1,081st time he had started a game at that position, matching Scott’s mark.
Nathan Eovaldi (3-2) scored his second straight win after striking out eight and pitching six shutout innings on four-hit ball.
James Kaprielian (0-3) took the loss after allowing four runs in five 1/3 innings on the mound.
For the Red Sox, Puerto Rican Kiké Hernández 5-2. The Dominicans Rafael Devers 5-1, with a run scored and an RBI; Franchy Cordero 5-1, with one produced.
For the Athletics, the Dominicans Ramón Laureano 3-1 with a run scored; Cristian Pache 3-1 with a run scored. Panamanian Christian Bethancourt 1-0. The Venezuelan Elvis Andrus 3-0.