Final: Red Sox 4, Athletics 2 - Rafaela hits grand slam in sixth inning

The Boston Red Sox win their third straight game with a 4-2 victory over the Athletics.

Despite a slow scoring game for the Red Sox, a massive sixth inning headlined by a Ceddanne Rafaela grand slam became the defining moment of the game.

Payton Tolle allowed two solo home runs through 5.1 innings in the mound. The left hander also struck out seven batters in the process.

Boston's bullpen pitched a shutout campaign after Tolle's start, and Aroldis Chapman picked up his 25th save of the year.

Curtis Mead made his Red Sox debit tonight, but his time on the diamond tonight was short lived. In his second at-bat of the game, Mead was hit by a pitch which sidelined him from the game.

The Red Sox will continue their series with the Athletics tomorrow at 9:40 p.m.

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WHO: Red Sox (54-50) vs Athletics (44-61)
WHEN: 9:40 p.m.
WHERE: Sutter Health Park, Sacramento
SERIES TO DATE: (0-0), (0-0)
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.31 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Perkins (2-5, 6.75 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, MLB Network, WEEI-FM 93.7

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Masataka Yoshida (L) DH
Curtis Mead (R) 2B
Willson Contreras (R) 1B
Wilyer Abreu (L) RF
Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF
Caleb Durbin (R) 3B
Jarren Duran (L) LF
Andruw Monasterio (R) SS
Connor Wong (R) C

SP Payton Tolle

ATHLETICS

Jacob Wilson (R) SS
Tyler Soderstrom (L) DH
Jonah Heim (S) C
Colby Thomas (R) LF
Tommy White (R) 3B
Jeff McNeil (L) 1B
Henry Bolte (R) CF

Alika Williams (R) 2B
Lawrence Butler (L) RF

SP Jack Perkins

WHAT'S UP

The Boston Red Sox travel out west for the third time this season taking on the Athletics in a four game series.

Curtis Mead makes his Red Sox debut two days after being traded from the Washington Nationals. Mead will play second base and bat second in the order. Ceddanne Rafaela, who made his previous 51 starts at the second spot in the lineup will bat fifth.

Interim manager Chad Tracy flipped Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu in the lineup. Contreras usually is the cleanup hitter, but he’ll bat third. Abreu usually bats third, but he’ll bat fourth.