They’re still the Oakland A’s for now, but perhaps a better name is Best Team In The American League.
With their 4-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, the A’s now stand at 23-15, the most wins in the league. The Chicago White Sox have a slightly higher percentage but have played fewer games.
*** Click here to revisit tonight’s Game Thread! ***
The story tonight revolved around James Kaprielian. The top prospect made his MLB debut last summer but now was set to make his first start in the majors, with the daunting task of facing the first-place Red Sox in Fenway Park. Despite some early jitters, he came through.
The 1st inning featured some “Fenway nerves” for Kaprielian, as he loaded the bases and then walked in a run. But he escaped without further damage, and Boston never crossed the plate for the rest of the evening.
From there the right-hander settled down, retiring 10 of his next 12 batters through the end of the 4th. The 5th began with a close Ball 4 call, and then Kaprielian got a comebacker grounder with a chance to turn a double play but threw it into center field for an error. He recovered to retire the next three batters in order — including another comebacker that he got right, flipping the ball to the plate to nab the runner.
- Kaprielian: 5 ip, 1 run, 6 Ks, 3 BB, 4 hits, 95 pitches, 91.8 mph
Video:
More details coming, including the A’s scoring, the bullpen, and Kaprielian’s dad in the stands cheering on his son. Keep hitting refresh!
