BOSTON — Michael Chavis has only played one homestand in Fenway Park and he’s already seen enough crazy bounces for an entire career.
The rookie second baseman earned a single that led to the tying run when his grounder up the middle, a potential double play ball, kicked off of second base and safely into center field. Mitch Moreland followed with a sacrifice fly, then added a solo homer to help Boston beat Oakland 7-3 on Wednesday.
Chavis was thrown out at home later in the inning when he attempted to score from third on a wild pitch that caromed off the backstop right to the catcher, but the Red Sox completed the three-game sweep and revived their hopes of defending their 2018 World Series championship.
“It’s a good start,” Moreland said. “We’ve got three under our belt, so that was a good series, good momentum for us to go back on the road.”
The Red Sox, who started last season 17-2 en route to a franchise record 108 victories and a fourth championship in 15 years, fell to 3-9 after losing the home opener and were seven games under .500 and 7½ games out of first place on April 16.
They have won eight of 12 since.
The Red Sox already trailed 1-0 when Rafael Devers singled leading off the second inning and Chavis bounced one up the middle. Second baseman Chad Pinder, who was preparing to field the ball and step on second to start a double play, wound up ducking to avoid getting hit in the head as Devers went to third.
“It was just bad luck,” Pinder said. “Just one of those plays when things are going bad, those things are going to happen.”
Moreland hit a deep sacrifice fly to score Devers and make it 1-1. Christian Vázquez walked and Jackie Bradley Jr. singled, but Chavis was held up at third.
With Tzu-Wei Lin at the plate, Mike Fiers (2-3) threw a fastball that went off the top of Josh Phegley’s glove, and Chavis took off for home. But the ball bounced off the backstop right back to the catcher, who shuffled back to home plate to tag the sliding runner.
Lin struck out to end the inning.
“I mean, lucky for me, I guess,” Phegley said. “We’ll take it.”
