Eighth-inning homers lift Red Sox to series win over A's

Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning to help the Boston Red Sox notch a 5-4 victory over the Athletics on Thursday in West Sacramento, Calif.

Sonny Gray went seven innings and Aroldis Chapman worked out of a jam in the ninth as the Red Sox claimed their third win in the conclusion of a four-game series. Ceddanne Rafaela had two hits and two RBIs and Contreras also had two hits for Boston, which has won 20 of its past 23 games.

Lawrence Butler and Jacob Wilson each had two hits and one RBI for the Athletics, who have lost five of six games and 26 of their past 33.

A's All-Star Nick Kurtz (bruised left forearm) went 0-for-4 with a walk one day after being hit by a pitch. His Thursday MRI exam came back clean.

Abreu led off the eighth with the tying blast against Luis Medina (2-3). He smacked a 2-1 changeup 422 feet, sending it over the fence in straightaway center.

Contreras blasted the next pitch well over the wall in left-center to put Boston ahead. He jumped on a curveball and swatted it 414 feet.

In the bottom of the ninth, Athletics pinch hitter Alika Williams doubled off the center field wall with one out. Chapman then struck out pinch hitter Colby Thomas and Kurtz to record his 26th save.

Gray (13-2) gave up four runs and seven hits. He struck out five and walked two.

Greg Weissert worked a scoreless eighth for Boston.

The Red Sox scored three times in the fifth to overcome a 3-0 deficit.

A's starter Mason Barnett started the inning by plunking Caleb Durbin, who moved to second on a grounder by Jarren Duran. Andruw Monasterio singled to center to score Durbin.

One out later, Anthony Seigler reached on an infield hit. Rafaela then ripped a two-run double to left to tie the score.

The Athletics moved back ahead in the sixth when Butler doubled and came around to score thanks to two fly balls. Cortes hit the tiebreaking sacrifice fly to left as Butler narrowly beat Duran's throw.

Barnett allowed three runs and four hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Carlos Cortes drew a walk to start the bottom of the third inning and moved to second on an infield out. He advanced to third when shortstop Monasterio booted Kurtz's grounder. Wilson then drilled a single to center to score Cortes.

One inning later, Jonah Heim led off with a double and scored on Butler's one-out two-bagger. Jeff McNeil followed with a single to put runners on the corners. After Cortes struck out, Donovan Walton singled to right, plating Butler.

--Field Level Media