Athletics 2 - 4 Red Sox
Final
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Red-hot Athletics open up series with Red Sox

Jun 5, 2015 - 1:49 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Oakland Athletics look to stay hot on Friday night when they open a three-game set at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.

Oakland still owns the worst record in the American League (23-33) but has won six of its last seven games. The offense has gotten dialed in, as the A's plated 18 runs during their three-game sweep in Detroit this week.

"We're just trying to play good (and) win as many games as we can," manager Bob Melvin said. "We're about trying to climb toward .500, and then worry about where we are in the standings."

On Thursday, the A's left Detroit with a 7-5 victory behind Jesse Hahn, who tossed seven innings of one-run ball and allowed just five hits. Josh Phegley got things started early with a two-run triple in the second inning, and Oakland continued to add to that lead until Detroit made things interesting with a four-run ninth.

A's rookie outfielder Billy Burns extended his hit streak to nine straight games as he continues to lead all AL rookies in multi-hit games (13) and hits (40).

Meanwhile, Boston continues to veer in the wrong direction as the team has dropped five of seven. The Red Sox are coming off Thursday's 8-4 home loss to the Minnesota Twins, who scored four runs in the ninth thanks to a costly error by third baseman Pablo Sandoval. It marked the third time in the last six games that Boston committed three errors.

"That was a poor display of baseball," manager John Farrell said. "Those situations are addressed individually, it's addressed collectively, and we will continue to do so."

Southpaw Wade Miley gets the nod for Boston in Friday's opener. Miley saw his three-start win streak come to an end in Arlington last weekend as he lasted just four innings against the Texas Rangers. He was charged with six runs (five earned) on nine hits.

Miley pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings in Oakland on May 13.

Scott Kazmir returns to the mound for Oakland after the left-hander skipped his last start because of tightness in his pitching shoulder. After posting a 0.99 ERA in four April starts, Kazmir went winless with a 4.65 ERA across six May outings. He exited after three hitless innings against Detroit on May 27 when his shoulder started acting up.

The Red Sox took two of three from the A's when these teams met up in Oakland last month.






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