Mistake-prone A’s commit 5 errors in 9-0 loss to Red Sox
OAKLAND — The Oakland Athletics are dropping and throwing away the ball at a staggering rate.
The A’s committed five errors in the first three innings against the Boston Red Sox in their 9-0 loss on Monday night to become the first team in 29 years with at least 13 fielding miscues in the first five games of the season.
The mistakes came early with catcher Shea Langeliers throwing a ball into center field on a stolen base attempt by Jarren Duran two batters into the game.
Two more errors came in the second inning with center fielder JJ Bleday dropping Emmanuel Valdez’s drive to the warning track for a two-base errors and right fielder Lawrence Butler throwing the ball away on a sacrifice fly, allowing a second run to score.
Two more miscues followed in the third with first baseman Ryan Noda throwing the ball away on an infield hit by Valdez and starter Joe Boyle making a wild throw on a pickoff attempt at second base.
The A’s have made at least one error in every game with the 13 the most in the first five games of a season since the Chicago White Sox had 18 in 1995. It’s also the most errors in the first five games of a season for the franchise since the Philadelphia had 16 in 1923.
Tanner Houck struck out 10 batters in six scoreless innings to get the victory in front of an announced crowd of 6,618 fans.
“He was excellent,” manager Alex Cora said. “Mixed up his pitches. Repeated his delivery. He was the aggressor the whole night. He was ahead in the count and induced weak contact and got swings and misses.”
The throw goes past Oakland Athletics shortstop Darell Hernaiz #2 as Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran #16 slides safely into second base in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joe Boyle #35 throws against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox’s Tyler O’Neill #17 scores past Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers #23 on a throwing error by first baseman Ryan Noda #49 in the third inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck #89 throws against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox’s Trevor Story #10 reacts after hitting a double off Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joe Boyle #35 in the third inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ J J Bleday can’t get to a fly ball in the first inning of their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox’s Ceddanne Rafaela #43 hits a sacrifice fly to right field off Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Kyle Muller #39 in the third inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics left fielder Seth Brown #15 catches a fly ball hit by Boston Red Sox’s Tyler O’Neill #17 in the fourth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox’s Masataka Yoshida #7 heads to the dugout in the fourth inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Joe Boyle #35 is taken out by manager Mark Kotsay in the third inning of their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof #20 strikes out swinging against Boston Red Sox’s starting pitcher Tanner Houck #89 in the sixth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox’s Triston Casas #36 celebrates a double hit off Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Kyle Muller #39 as Oakland Athletics’ Ryan Noda #49 looks on in the sixth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox’s Masataka Yoshida #7 watches the flight of a foul ball in the sixth inning of their MLB game against the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox catcher Reese McGuire #3 reacts after being hit by a pitch thrown by Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Kyle Muller #39 in the seventh inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Kyle Muller #39 throws against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics shortstop Darell Hernaiz #2 reacts after forcing out Boston Red Sox’s Wilyer Abreau #52 but not completing a double play in the ninth inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland Athletics’ Zack Gelof #20 grounds out in the ninth inning of their MLB game against the Boston Red Sox at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Chase Anderson #48 and catcher Reese McGuire #3 celebrate their 9-0 MLB win over the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The Boston Red Sox celebrate their 9-0 MLB win over the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran #16 and teammates celebrate their 9-0 MLB win over the Oakland Athletics at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, April 1, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Jarren Duran had three hits and three steals in the first three innings, Trevor Story added a two-run double and Ceddanne Rafaela hit two sacrifice flies to help Boston score eight runs in the first three innings against the mistake-prone A’s.
Houck (1-0) did the rest with the latest strong start for Boston, allowing three hits and no walks. Through one turn through the rotation, all five starters for the Red Sox have gone at least five innings and allowed two runs or fewer. The quintet has allowed four runs overall in 28 innings, while striking out 37 and walking only one batter.
Chase Anderson finished the four-hitter for his first save.
Joe Boyle (0-1) allowed eight runs — seven earned — and eight hits in 2 2-3 innings in his first start of the season to take the loss for Oakland.
But he got no help from his teammates with the five early errors.
“We couldn’t get out of our way the first three innings,” manager Mark Kotsay said.
“We’re going to push the envelope as a group,” Cora said. “Yeah, they struggled defensively, but we put pressure on them, too.”
Oakland also became the first team in seven years to commit at least five errors in the first three innings of a game with Seattle the last to do it on Aug, 27, 2017, against the New York Yankees.
Oakland set to offer $97 million Coliseum lease extension to A’s: report
“I wish I had an answer for the defense right now,” Kotsay said. “They’re going to have to get better. That’s just all there is to it. These first five games, if you told me we were going to play as bad defensively as this, I would have said you’re dead wrong. We’ll see how they respond tomorrow.”