Nick Pivetta threw seven shutout innings to win his fifth straight start and help the visiting Boston Red Sox to a 8-0 win against the Oakland A’s in the middle game of their three-game series on Saturday afternoon

Pivetta (5-4) allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked two.

Alex Verdugo had three hits and two RBIs, Rafael Devers and Franchy Cordero also drove in two runs apiece, and Trevor Story and Xander Bogaerts each had two hits and scored two runs for the Red Sox, who have won three in a row.

Oakland right-hander Paul Blackburn (5-2) dropped his second consecutive start after allowing four runs and seven hits in four innings. He struck out three and walked two for the A’s, who have scored one run or fewer in 20 of 55 games this season.

Story led off the third with a ground ball just inside the third-base line for a double. Later in the inning, Christian Vazquez lined a double over the head of third baseman Chad Pinder to drive in Story for a 1-0 lead.

Blackburn nearly avoided further damage when he struck out Jarren Duran and Enrique Hernandez, but Devers came through with a two-run single to make it 3-0.

The Red Sox put their leadoff batter on base for the second straight inning in the fourth when Bogaerts walked. He scored on a double by Verdugo to make it 4-0.

Ramon Laureano led off the bottom of the fourth with a double off the wall in left, but Story kept him at second when the veteran shortstop leaped and snared a line drive off the bat of Seth Brown while shifted into shallow right field.

The A’s had also had a leadoff walk in the sixth, but were unable to capitalize off Pivetta, who has lowered his ERA from 7.84 to 3.50 over his past six starts.

Boston blew the game open with four runs in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 8-0.

Cordero had a two-run single for the final two runs of the inning.

–Field Level Media