The rain stoppage proved merciful after Oakland erupted for a 13-0 cushion.
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Tuesday night was a miserable one all around at Fenway Park. BOSTON – The Red Sox took their worst loss of the season Tuesday, falling 13-0 to the Oakland Athletics in a seven-inning affair. The gametime temperature was 42 degrees and a steady rain fell for much of the night.
When the game was called in the top of the eighth, no more than a few hundred fans remained from the paid attendance of 29,006 at Fenway Park.
Alfredo Aceves, who started for Boston, lasted just 3 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) and walking four to even his record at 1-1 and raise his ERA to 8.66.
Aceves spent much of night upset with the strike zone of home-plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt and also admitted to having issues with the condition of the mound.
“The strike zone got small,” Aceves said. “It’s not like only one thing. It’s a couple things, and for whatever reason (the zone) was small. It gets you thinking, like I have to throw a ball in the middle (of the plate).
“I’m upset about that because we lost, but that’s just today. Hopefully we can get it straightened out and get some better results.”
After holding the A’s off the scoreboard for the first two frames, things came apart for Aceves in the third.
The right-hander walked leadoff batter Eric Sogard – who also happened to be ninth in Oakland’s order – then went on to walk in a run, commit a throwing error, balk twice and forget to cover the bag on a ground ball to first base.
The A’s sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six runs (five earned).
Aceves came out for the fourth, allowed a one-out double to John Jaso and a two-run home run to Seth Smith, and was sent to the showers by Red Sox manager John Farrell.
“He pitched behind in the count,” Farrell said. “He combined some walks with some base hits. The two balks are very uncharacteristic. He didn’t cover first on another play and things kind of unraveled after that.
“There seemed to be a lack of focus given the way Alfredo has pitched this year for us.”
One-time Sox hurler Bartolo Colon tossed seven scoreless innings – without the aid of long sleeves – to improve to 3-0. He struck out seven and surrendered just three hits.
He faced a Red Sox lineup that didn’t include designated hitter David Ortiz, who was given the day off by Farrell. Ortiz has hit safely in all three games he’s started since returning from a right Achilles injury.
“Obviously the weather conditions weren’t ideal,” Farrell said, “but to say that it was a major distraction, I don’t know that we can go that far, with what Bartolo did against us.”
Knuckleballer Steven Wright, who was called up by the Red Sox last Tuesday, made his major-league debut, tossing 3 2/3 innings. He allowed five runs on six hits and struck out four.
“(Wright) gave us a lift in that we didn’t need to go to the bullpen again to get through the seventh inning,” Farrell said. “Tonight’s a kind of hard night to judge a guy on his first outing. This is a guy whom we feel has starting capability in the big leagues.”
The good news for the Red Sox came before the game, when it was revealed that John Lackey, who made a rehab start on Monday for Double-A Portland, would likely make his return from a strained right biceps Sunday against the Houston Astros.
The Red Sox dropped to 13-7 and were shut out for the second time, while Oakland, which snapped a four-game losing streak, improved to 13-8.
Oakland pounded out 13 hits. Coco Crisp (2 for 4), Jaso (3 for 4), Brandon Moss (3 for 4) and Josh Reddick (2 for 4) each turned in multi-hit games.
Jacoby Ellsbury (0 for 2, walk) saw his 12-game hitting streak end.
The poor start by Aceves was out of character for the Red Sox this season, whose starters entered the game leading the American League with a 2.62 ERA. By the game’s final pitch that number had climbed to 3.07.
Boston, which won the opener Monday, will send Jon Lester (3-0, 1.73 ERA) to the mound Wednesday opposite Oakland’s Brett Anderson (1-3, 5.95 ERA), as it looks to win the series.