Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr., left, celebrates with Rafael Devers after both scored on a two-run home run by Devers in the second inning Wednesday night against Oakland at Fenway Park. Mary Schwalm/Associated Press
BOSTON — Rafael Devers homered in his fourth straight game and Alex Verdugo hit his first home run in almost two months, helping rookie Josh Winckowski earn his first major league career win as the Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 10-1 Wednesday night.
Boston has won 11 of its last 13 games, outscoring opponents 65-27 in 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 from the minors to make his second major league start and pitched five scoreless innings. The 23-year-old righty allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one.
Devers hit a two-run homer, his 16th, in the second inning.
Verdugo connected for the first time since April 16, a two-run drive in the sixth. He finished with a season-high four RBI.
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 singled home another run in the third for a 4-0 lead.
The Red Sox tacked on two more runs in the fourth.
Back-to-back one-out doubles by J.D. Martinez and Bogaerts and a two-out single by Trevor Story added two runs in the eighth.
Pinch-hitter Matt Davidson homered in the sixth off Boston reliever Jake Diekman.
NOTES: INF/OF Christian Arroyo tested positive and was placed on the COVID-19-related injured list. Duran was called up from the minors to take his place on the roster. … LHP Chris Sale, out all season with a right rib fracture, is expected to throw about 15-20 pitches in a live BP session on Thursday… LHP Josh Taylor, out all season with a low back strain, threw live batting practice and did some fielding drills. He is scheduled for another session on Saturday. If all goes well, Manager Alex Cora said Taylor could go out on a rehab assignment next week. … …OF Kiké Hernández, on the IL since June 8 with a right hip flexor strain, ran on Wednesday. … RHPs Garrett Whitlock, on the IL since June 9 with right hip inflammation, and Nathan Eovaldi, on the IL since June 9 with low back inflammation, are progressing, Cora said, but are not scheduled yet for mound work. …OF Rob Refsnyder, who was banged up in his last few games, was not in the starting lineup but was available off the bench.
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