Rafael Dever’s fourth-straight homer as the Red Sox beat A 10-1

BOSTON (AP) — Rafael Devers hit a homer in his fourth straight game and Alex Verdugo hit his first home run in almost two months, helping rookie Josh Winckowski to his first career win in the major leagues as the Boston Red Sox defeated Oakland on Wednesday Athletics defeated 10-1 night.

Boston has won 11 of their last 13 games, outperforming their opponents 65-27 over that span. The A’s have lost 13 of their last 14 and are in a 6-23 rut.

Winckowski (1-1) was called up by the Minors to his second major league start and pitched five scoreless innings. The 23-year-old right-hander conceded four hits, slammed three and footed one.

Devers hit a two-run homer in the second inning, his 16th.

Verdugo tied a two-run ride in the sixth for the first time since April 16. He finished with a season-high four RBIs.

James Kaprielian (0-4) gave up six runs on seven hits and six walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Verdugo had an RBI grounder in the first and grabbed another run in the third for a 4-0 lead.

The Red Sox bet on two more runs in the fourth after Jarren Duran and Devers got away with back-to-back walks. Xander Bogaerts had a sacrificial fly and a single by Verdugo, a single by Trevor Story, which Kaprielian dumped.

Back-to-back one-out doubles by JD Martinez and Bogaerts and a two-out single by Story added two runs in the eighth.

Pinch-hitter Matt Davidson hit Jake Diekman in the sixth off-Boston release.

TRAINING ROOM

Red Sox: INF/OF Christian Arroyo has tested positive and been placed on the COVID-19 injured list. Duran was called up by the minors to take his place on the list. …LHP Chris Sale, who has been out all season with a fractured right rib, is expected to pitch about 15-20 pitches in a live BP session Thursday …LHP Josh Taylor, who has been out all season so far with a lower back strain, threw live batting practice and did some field practice. He is scheduled for another session on Saturday. If all goes well, manager Alex Cora said Taylor could go into rehab next week. … …by Kiké Hernández, since June 8 on the IL with a right hip flexor strain, ran on Wednesday. … RHP’s Garrett Whitlock, on the IL since June 9 with a right hip sore, and Nathan Eovaldi, on the IL since June 9 with a lower back sore, are making progress, Cora said, but they’re not yet scheduled for hill work. …OF Rob Refsnyder, who was injured in his last few games, was not in the starting XI but was available from the bench.

NEXT

The Athletics and Red Sox conclude their season series with an afternoon game. LHP Rich Hill (2-3, 4.38 ERA) is scheduled to start for Boston against RHP Paul Blackburn (5-2, 2.31). Hill won against Oakland on June 5, giving up a run in six innings. Blackburn lost to Boston on June 8, his only career appearance, giving up four runs in four innings.