Moreland homers again, Red Sox tag A's to avoid 4-game sweep
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Mitch Moreland homered in his third consecutive game and the Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 12-3 on Sunday to avoid a four-game sweep.
Eduardo Rodriguez (3-1) allowed three runs over eight innings for his second straight win. The left-hander struck out eight and walked one.
Hanley Ramirez and Christian Vazquez had three hits apiece, while Dustin Pedroia and Jackie Bradley Jr. each had two to power a Red Sox lineup that tallied 15 hits. Every player in Boston's starting lineup had at least one hit, and eight of the nine drove in runs.
Chad Pinder homered and drove in two runs for Oakland.
Boston, which hasn't been swept in a four-game series since July 2015, trailed 3-2 before scoring 10 runs over the final five innings.
Moreland was held out Saturday after homering in the first two games of the series. He returned to the lineup and was hitless in his first two at-bats before launching a towering, two-run shot to right off starter Andrew Triggs (5-3) in the sixth that landed in the second deck.
Chad Pinder homered for Oakland in the fourth, his fourth in eight games and fifth overall.
Triggs gave up six runs and eight hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three.
The A's committed three errors, giving manager Bob Melvin's ballclub a major league-leading 42.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: Brock Holt continues to deal with lingering symptoms from vertigo and isn't yet ready to come off the disabled list, according to manager John Farrell. Likewise, Boston plans to keep third baseman Pablo Sandoval in the minors to get consistent at-bats while recovering from a right knee sprain. . Farrell said LHP Drew Pomeranz, who took the loss Saturday, will start against Texas on Thursday.
Athletics: Yonder Alonso (sore left knee) sat out his fourth straight game but could be back in the lineup Tuesday when Oakland begins a two-game series against Miami. . Sean Doolittle (strained left shoulder) threw on flat ground before making 15 pitches off the mound. The plan is for the former closer to throw 25 pitches on Wednesday. . Melvin said the team has applied for an extension on Chris Bassitt's rehab assignment. Bassitt underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello (2-5) faces Texas on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Fenway Park. Porcello has lost three of his last four decisions.
Athletics: Following an off day, RHP Jesse Hahn (1-3) starts against Miami on Tuesday at the Coliseum. Hahn leads the majors in fewest home runs allowed per nine innings at 0.19.