BOSTON -- Whatever momentum the Red Sox gained on their recent 6-1 road trip seems to have been mostly squandered in the first series on their homestand.
The Sox were listless at the plate again and lost to the Oakland A's, 4-2, their second loss in the three-game series with the A's. They failed to collect a hit in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Daniel Bard allowed all four runs in 5 13 innings, allowing eight hits while recording just one strikeout.
Boston was blanked for the six innings by Oakland starter Brandon McCarthy before scratching out a run in the seventh on a single by Jarrod Saltalamacchia, a double by rookie Will Middlebrooks and a sacrifice fly from Marlon Byrd.
There was poor execution throughout by the Sox. Byrd failed to get a bunt down in the fifth when the Sox had runners at first and third, flying out after two unsuccessful sacrifice attempts.
In the seventh, with reliever Ryan Cook having replaced McCarthy, Adrian Gonzalez struck out with the bases loaded, extending his hitless streak to 16 at-bats.
Middlebrooks had two hits, a walk and a stolen base in his major league debut while Clayton Mortensen, making his Red Sox debut, tossed three scoreless innings of relief with six strikeouts.