Recap: Boston vs. Oakland
Sports Network | July 6, 2009
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Mark Ellis and Adam Kennedy each knocked in a pair of runs while Brett Anderson turned in nine scoreless innings as Oakland downed Boston, 6-0, in the opener of a three-game set at Fenway Park.
Anderson (5-7) held the Sox to two hits during his complete-game victory, fanning a career-best nine with a pair of walks.
Nomar Garciaparra returned to Boston for first time since being traded to Chicago on July 31, 2004, and finished 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Athletics, who have won two in a row and three of five.
Jason Bay and Nick Green provided the lone hits for the Red Sox, who have dropped three of four. John Smoltz (0-2) was tagged in his Fenway debut as a member of the Sox for 10 hits and five runs over six frames in defeat.
The A's struck for four runs in the fourth to snap a scoreless tie.
Jason Giambi rapped a double to dead center, was sacrificed to third, then scored on a Garciaparra hit. A strikeout and fielder's choice put runners on the corners, then Ellis stroked a double to bring in two runs. Kennedy followed with an RBI single and Oakland led 4-0.
In the sixth, Jack Cust doubled and later scored on another Kennedy single, then Orlando Cabrera stroked a solo homer in the ninth for a 6-0 advantage.
Anderson, meanwhile, showed mastery of the usually potent Boston lineup, sending it down in order in the first, third, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth.
Bay singled in the second but was stranded as Rocco Baldelli grounded into a double play to end the frame. Green singled with two down in the fifth after a walk to Baldelli but Anderson got Aaron Bates to go down swinging.
Bay was on third thanks to a fielding error by Scott Hairston in the seventh but Anderson retired the next two batters to escape the jam. He sent down the final eight batters he faced to lock up the win.
Oakland starters had not registered a complete game since July 8, 2008...Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia missed the game due to unknown personal reasons...Prior to the game, the A's placed pitcher Dallas Braden on the bereavement list...Also before the game, the Red Sox placed infielder Jeff Bailey on the 15-day disabled list and recalled Bates from Triple-A Pawtucket.
