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Brennan Takes The Wyndham

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GREENSBORO – (Wire Service Report) – By winning the Wyndham Championship on Sunday, Michael Brennan vaulted from outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup points race to 47th — well within the cutoff for the playoffs.

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But another effect of that victory shouldn’t be overlooked. As captured by the CBS broadcast cameras, Brennan’s mother embraced him and declared, “We’re going to the Masters!”

Brennan’s response was the epitome of a young man who had not yet grasped all he had achieved: “Oh, my God! Oh, my God. We’re going to the Masters.”

The 24-year-old has come into his own at the perfect time as he prepares for his FedEx Cup playoffs debut this week at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis.

“Yeah, that was really cool,” Brennan said on Tuesday when reflecting on the moment with his mom. “The whole week I’m focusing on this week and trying to get into the FedEx Cup playoffs, and I didn’t really — I never thought about the perks of a win getting into the Masters until she told me after I putted in on 18.”

Indeed, winning the regular-season finale ensured Augusta National Golf Club will extend a coveted invitation for the Masters in 2027. Brennan made his tournament debut there in April, when he shared 20th place through two rounds and wound up tied for 24th.

“I just had such a great time there this year,” he said. “I kind of had a bit of a tough finish at Augusta and was bummed to — I was close to the top-12 finish, getting the exemption again for the following year, and I just want to go back and play again so bad. So it was just kind of an unexpected but really exciting moment.”

The Masters was, in fact, Brennan’s best finish of the season until he tied for sixth at the Charles Schwab Challenge six weeks later. In what’s essentially his rookie season — he won for the first time on tour last fall, but on a sponsor’s exemption — Brennan has heated up since the start of July. He has made the cut six weeks in a row and posted increasingly better finishes before his breakthrough at the Wyndham.

Brennan was in the mix at both the 3M Open in Minnesota and the Rocket Classic in Detroit the previous two weeks, but he posted a final-round 74 at the former to tie for 24th and a final-round 73 at the latter to tie for 15th.

“I probably wouldn’t have won last week if I didn’t have those two experiences in the weeks prior,” Brennan said. “So I’m grateful for those.

“… It’s hard to stay in the present and not think about what the consequences of a win are. I felt like I got a little bit better at that from Minnesota to Detroit to then last week in Greensboro.

Brennan said he had never played in tournaments six weeks in a row until this current stretch. Now he’s primed to make that seven.

“The last few weeks, I’ve taken Mondays off in Minnesota and Detroit, which is something that I normally don’t do, but Week 4 and 5 just kind of getting along, and I thought it would be nice to kind of have a rest day,” Brennan said. “So it’s a little bit less time spent at the golf course, but I’ve played really good those two weeks.

“So that’s something I’ve maybe learned about myself that maybe that’s important for me to make sure I’m feeling good going into the week.”

–Field Level Media

 

Red Sox Facing Adversity (Again)

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TORONTO – (Wire Service Report) – The Toronto Blue Jays could be catching the visiting Boston Red Sox at the right time tonight in the opener of a four-game series. The Red Sox, who have been the hottest team in the majors for more than a month, are coming off two consecutive home losses to the lowly Athletics over the weekend. The 7-3 loss on Saturday snapped Boston’s nine-game winning streak, which came not long after a 15-game win streak from July 3-22.

It is the first time since June 30-July 1 that the Red Sox have lost two in a row.

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They still have won 27 of their past 32 games as they embark on a seven-game road trip following a 4-2 homestand.

“It’s been a minute,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said after a 4-3 loss on Sunday. “When the (15-game) winning streak ended, I was like, ‘We knew that was going to happen eventually,’ and I think in this case you probably knew this was going to happen eventually.

“You’re not going to win every single series the rest of the year. … You move on, tip your cap and move on to Toronto.”

The Red Sox are scheduled to start Sonny Gray (14-2, 2.78 ERA) in the series opener. The right-hander is 4-5 with a 3.31 ERA in 17 career games (16 starts) against the Blue Jays. In two starts against them this season, he is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA.

Fellow righty Jameson Taillon (2-6, 5.96) is expected to make his second start with the Blue Jays on Monday after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs. In his Toronto debut on Wednesday, he allowed three runs on six hits in four innings against the Houston Astros, striking out four and walking two.

The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.59 ERA in eight career starts against the Red Sox.

Boston will be facing a Toronto team which has little time to recover from a three-city, seven-game road trip which concluded over the weekend in Philadelphia.

While the Blue Jays finished the trip with a 4-3 record, they were forced to put a lot of tread on their tires with four of the games going to extra innings — including Sunday’s 7-6, 12-inning loss to the Phillies which prevented a Toronto sweep.

The Blue Jays are still holding out hope of making a serious run for the third American League wild-card spot, which is currently occupied by the Texas Rangers. The Blue Jays are 3 1/2 games behind Texas but also have four teams between them and the Rangers (plus the Seattle Mariners, who are currently tied with Toronto).

“Everybody still believes, from our front office all the way to our locker room,” Toronto designated hitter George Springer said. “We’re one good stretch away from being right where we want to be.”

“This could be our season,” added Ernie Clement, who had an RBI double on Sunday. “If we play really, really well, it’s going to put us in a great position. We’re just going to show up every day and try to take care of business.”

The series in Toronto is likely to see the Red Sox debut of catcher Adley Rutschman, who was obtained in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 3. Rutschman won’t play on Monday — instead having a workout day — but is expected to debut over the four-game set.

“Make sure he comes out of (the workout) OK and we’ll assess him after that,” Tracy said.

Rutschman has been on the injured list since July 19 with inflammation in his left wrist.

–Field Level Media

 

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | August 9th

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

CHESTNUT HILL – What would St. Ignatius do?

Saint Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish Basque-region Catholic priest and theologian, who, with six companions, founded the religious order of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. He became the order’s first Superior General, in Paris in 1541. Immediately afterward, Ignatius and his companions embarked on missions across Europe to create schools, colleges, and seminaries. The overarching Jesuit principle became: Ad maiorem Dei gloriam, translated from Latin to English, “For the greater glory of God.” Upon his death in 1556, a number of schools and college institutions were named after St. Ignatius of Loyola, one of them a parish on Long Island which included a grammar school by the same name, my alma mater.

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When you’re a student of that school, and all Jesuit instituations, you learn all about the Jesuit ideals, as do students at Boston College, an incredible college in every aspect.

Since we relocated to Massachusetts, Boston College – only about three miles and four short T stops away – has been our adopted go-to place for ACC football, for ice hockey, for basketball, for Welles and For Boston. If there’s a “Force” that guides Boston College, aside from the teachings of St. Ignatius, it was a force disrupted this week.

Said BC Athletics Director Blake James, a highly respected administrator: “Over the last 60 hours I’ve had to have a lot more conversations about radio announcers than I ever imagined that I would, or I’ve ever had before in my career.”

The topic at hand was the fact Boston College decided to part (not renew an expired one-year contract) with its college basketball radio announcers, Kevin Collins and Josh Maurer, 13-year stalwarts who called games through thick and thin, including last season’s 4-14, or 16th place in the ACC.

Back in the spring, BC made headlines by hiring Luke Murray, assistant coach to Danny Hurley at UConn who was a part of a couple NCAA titles. Murray had intersected with Hurley back in 2010 when Hurley headed up Wagner (Staten Island, NY). Murray is getting his first big opportunity and will begin his stint at BC this season after a typical long road as an assistant coach.

  • 2008–2009 Post (assistant)
  • 2009–2010 Arizona (Grad assitant)
  • 2010–2011 Wagner (assistant)
  • 2011–2013 Towson (assistant)
  • 2013–2015 Rhode Island (assistant)
  • 2015–2018 Xavier (assistant)
  • 2018–2021 Louisville (assistant)
  • 2021–2026 UConn (assistant)
  • 2026–present Boston College (head coach)

After Murray and Boston College won the proverbial introductory press conference and all was well in The Heights, things fell silent – as they always do – until BC Football concludes and the winter sports take center stage. At BC, that means men’s ice hockey as No. 1 and basketball as a distant No. 2 spectator sport.

But, as noted, there was a disturbance in the force this week, and it reverberated throughout the small, talk sports radio, gossip-driven sports and social media worlds of Greater Boston.

The main issue was Collins pouring his heart out in a tweet that noted his dream job and 13-year career as the radio announcer were cut down. In a story, first reported by the entertaining site, Awful Announcing and on X, Collins wrote:

<Easily the hardest tweet of my career. Love you @JoshMaurerPxP and sorry it had to end this way 💔 Huge thanks to Mike Winn, Josh Maurer, and Danya Abrams for supporting and empowering me over the last 13+ years.

I will always be an Eagle 🦅 #WeAreBC>

He went on:

According to reports in Awful Announcing, the broadcast crew had repeatedy asked about their status for new contracts. The feedback was a vague, “no change was coming,” an assurance that held from the end of March all the way until last week.

Word came down that their contracts would not be renewed, and – again – according to the report in Awful Announcing – the reasoning delivered to the pair, relayed through Deputy Athletic Director Craig Anderson, was that (Luke) Murray didn’t want anyone in the travel party who’d been part of what was described as the program’s “losing mentality” under the previous staff, despite neither broadcaster having any real relationship with the coaching staff itself beyond showing up to call games. When pressed on why the decision took months to reach them, given how long Murray had already been on the job, the answer was that the administration had only recently had the actual conversation with him about it.

“The reasoning that I was given was that Coach Murray basically wants a whole new fresh coat of paint on the entire program and wants no remnants of the past around the program,” Collins said. “We have nothing to do with any of that. But he wanted us removed. Didn’t feel comfortable being around a link to the past, if you will. My challenge was, well, how can he not feel comfortable around us? He hasn’t even given us the chance to meet us.”

The school, in PR control mode, went with two different philosophies – neither approved by St. Ignatius’ teachings.

“The decision to not renew the contracts of our men’s basketball radio announcers was made by Boston College Athletics administrators in consultation with our MMR (multi-media rights) partner. We wish both Kevin and Josh the best going forward.”

Terse to say the least, and it fueled a social media hailstorm.

A full day later, BC countered with another statement, but it was issued in a telephone call from James to Boston Globe reporter, Chad Finn:

“Luke did not make this decision, because he does not have the ability to make this decision,” said James in a telephone interview Wednesday afternoon. “If someone wanted to say it was my decision, yes, at the end of the day I approved it, and I take full responsibility for that.”

Of course that was James’ job to take full responsibility and fall on the sword for Boston College, but the statements and timing of the statements and actions made no sense as they began to contradict each other.

More questions came up, after the fact:

  1. If the two commentators were not going to have their jobs (via contracts being renewed), and the decision was made, why wouldn’t the school inform them in April so they’d have time to get a different job?
  2. Where was Luke Murray during this debacle? Was he involved and, if so, made available for interviews? In other words, Murray should face the music.
  3. For that matter, why weren’t the two announcers given the chance to meet Murray? And – in a face-to-face meeting – be given either a reason he wanted to cut ties or be given the chance to hear-out his philosophies and understand them going forward.
  4. In the process of dismissing a 13-year BC vet, why the awkward method of telephone line to text to non-verbal, direct communication, as opposed to this mixed-message ugly scene?

“I thought that if anything like this ever popped up, where my employment was in trouble, that [me, Anderson, and Winn] could have an adult conversation over a coffee and a cold beverage and hash it out on whether it was going to go one way or the other,” said Collins as quoted from his phone conversation with the Globe.

Lastly, after the fact, there was considerable speculation that the reason for the (non renewal method of firing) was an ill-fated X/tweet way back on March 17th that expressed legitimate concerns about hiring a coach with no head coaching experience.

“I have 2 questions (wrote Collins): 1.) are you comfortable with hiring a head coach with 0 head coaching experience? It’s one thing to do this at a low major and entirely different in the ACC. 2.) Kids are paid now. Recruiting is dead. Would his father bring in serious NIL for Boston College?”

The paper of record, errr, The Athletic tried to piece it all together in a story by Joe Rexrode on August 5. That story criss-crossed with the Globe story and laid out pieces of a puzzle that will never fit together and further confused he issue – which admittedly is not life or death in the year 2026.

But, remember, there was no comment from either Luke, or his even a quip by his father, comedian and actor Bill Murray.

In conclusion, there’s a perfect quote from Luke’s famous father, Bill, via his wonderful appearance in the motion picture, STRIPES, and it answers the question at the root of the issue: “Are Collins and Maurer gone?”

“That’s the FACT, Jack.”

PS: In answer to the opening question of this column, St. Ignatius would get everybody involved in the same room and hash it out.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: LIV golf CEO Scott O’Neil emerged from a summit to announce that the upstart – once Saudi PIF based – entity will remain afloat after an investor stepped up to fund it against expected short term additional potential losses.

“LIV Golf has an agreement in place with a lead investor, signed by the investor and approved by the board, to anchor the transaction and play a key role in supporting the path forward for the league’s next era, driven by and for the players,” O’Neil said in a statement. “We’re also seeing strong interest from more than a dozen additional parties to potentially serve as minority investors, creating a multi-partner model built for long-term stability and growth.”

The minority investors expressed interest if there were a main, primary investor to assure solid ground in the year(s) to come.

The specific investors were not identified, nor the amount of money to be injected into the league. LIV Golf said it hopes to finalize terms in the coming weeks and close the transaction in September.

The Saudi-based PIF reportedly spent more than $5 billion funding the league over the past five seasons, according to multiple media outlets in the golf industry. That included signing some of the biggest and most succesful PGA Tour pros to contracts, complete with multi-million dollar signing bonuses.

The final weeks of the LIV Golf season were in doubt until O’Neal’s press conference prior to this week’s event at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: After three successful years in Singapore, the FIBA Intercontinental Cup is now starting a new chapter in its 60-year long history, with the event moving to Beijing, China for the first time. This year, the event will be played in September, according to a recent FIBA newsletter. The format remains the same in terms of the number of teams represented, with six teams split into two groups of three teams. The top two teams from each group will move to the Semi-Finals, with the winners facing off in the Championship Game on September 27.

TWO-WAY OR BACK-to-SCHOOL? Former St. John’s University wing, Dillon Mitchell was drafted by Boston back in June. Mitchell performed very well for the Celtics Summer League team and it was thought he’d be signed to a guaranteed NBA contract right away. Not so fast thought the Celtics, as their roster is stacked with versatile players, many in their first few years. That includes the Celtics’ 2026 first round pick, Chris Cenac Jr., a 6-11 stretch-five who can shoot it. Cenac hit 2.2 three-point FGs per game and shot 33% from behind the arc while at the University of Houston this past year. He’s a defensive force, protecting the rim, and is just what the Celtics needed going into the 2026-27 season. Yet, Cenac is only 19 years old and has room to mature and grow.

In Mitchell’s case, the rumors were flowing that 6-8 Mitchell might return to school as the latest ruling – for and against the NCAA – allowed players in Mitchell’s situation to gain a fifth year of college eligibility, even though he was the 40th overall pick in the draft by Boston and stood out in the NBA Summer League, averaging 13.0 points and 5.0 rebounds with a slew of steals and blocks.

Nope. No more BIG EAST and playing under St. John’s coach Rick Pitino. Instead, Mitchell signed a two-way contract with the Celtics this week.

LUNCH? – Would you like to sit down for lunch with UCLA/NBA Legend and front office executive Kiki VanDeWeghe for a face-to-face conversation in New York City, shared with up to three guests? VanDeWeghe enjoyed a distinguished 13-year NBA career as a prolific scorer for the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Clippers, earning two NBA All-Star selections along the way. After retiring, he transitioned seamlessly into the front office, serving as General Manager of the Nuggets and later as the NBA’s Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, making him one of the most well-rounded execs in the game on both sides of the hardwood. The offer from the auction lot via online auction house Charity Buzz offers a rare chance to connect personally with a man who has shaped professional basketball for decades. Whether you’re a lifelong fan, an aspiring basketball professional, or simply someone who appreciates this extraordinary access avenue, this lunch delivers an experience that goes well beyond the ordinary. It’s sure to be a candid, unhurried afternoon (two hours) with one of basketball’s most accomplished insider, the kind of access that simply isn’t available anywhere else. Site of restaurant was not named, but it is in NYC. … The auction expires in 11 days.

GRAND PRIX: If lunch with Kiki doesn’t do the job, how about an experience of a lifetime at the F-1 Grand Prix race in Abu Dhabi? Experience the excitement of the 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with an exclusive package for two, including a 4-night stay at a luxurious 5-star hotel. Located on Yas Leisure Drive, this experience places you at the heart of one of the most prestigious events on the Formula 1 calendar. On this auction, time is of essence as the clock is ticking down to deadline.

The brochure for Charity Buzz reads: “Enjoy four nights of luxury accommodations with daily breakfast included, providing the perfect base for an unforgettable Grand Prix weekend. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Formula 1 racing and take advantage of access to concerts and pit walks, available on a first-come, first-served basis. This Experience for two includes:

  • 4-night stay at a 5-star hotel in Abu Dhabi
  • Daily breakfast
  • Access to the 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
  • Access to concerts and pit walks
  • Airfare is NOT included

Yanks Secure $2.6b in Private Equity

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New York Yankees are receiving $2.6 billion in a deal with the private equity fund Apollo Sports Capital, the team announced on Tuesday.

The huge capital infusion for Yankee Global Enterprises will allow the team to refinance or retire much of its existing debt and then pursue new ventures, according to The Athletic.

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Hal Steinbrenner remains the Yankees’ managing general partner and the Steinbrenner family maintains full control of the historic franchise. Patriarch George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010, led a group of investors that bought the team from CBS for $10 million in 1973.

“We are continually seeking ways to strengthen our positioning, and this partnership allows us to explore pursuing strategic opportunities,” Hal Steinbrenner said in a news release.

An individual private equity fund can hold no more than a 15 percent stake in a club under the rules of Major League Baseball. The exact percentage of Apollo’s stake was not announced. Forbes’ annual list of MLB franchise valuations listed the Yankees at $8.5 billion in March.

In addition to the baseball team, Yankee Global Enterprises’ assets include the YES Network and stakes in MLS club New York City FC and Italian soccer team AC Milan, all of which could benefit from the new money.

Apollo Sports Capital is a branch of Apollo Global Management, a New York-based firm with nearly $1 trillion in assets under management. Apollo became the majority stakeholder of Spanish soccer power Atletico Madrid in 2025.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: Brennan’s Surge to Co-Lead

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GREENSBORO – Michael Brennan posted five birdies across the final eight holes to shoot 7-under-par 63 on Saturday and move into a share of the lead with Beau Hossler through three rounds of the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.

Hossler, who was the second-round leader, finally finished his round of 66 following two late-round weather-related pauses at Sedgefield Country Club.

The duo is level at 16-under 194 to co-lead by one shot entering Sunday’s final round.

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Brennan’s lone bogey came on the second hole before he got rolling.

Hossler’s best finish this year was a tie for third place at the Myrtle Beach Classic in May. Still seeking his first career win on tour, he has twice been runner-up when losing in playoffs and finished second four total times.

South Korea’s Tom Kim also shot 63 and sits at 15 under in third place.

Alex Smalley (65) and Sweden’s Alex Noren (65) are at 14 under, while Davis Thompson (65) is in sixth place at 13 under.

Colombia’s Nico Echavarria’s 62 marked the best score of the round, allowing him to move to 11 under and climb into a tie for eighth place. A day earlier, he was one stroke away from missing the cut. On Saturday, his eagle on the par-5 fifth hole got him rolling in a bogey-free round.

Hossler began the round with a one-stroke lead. Nineteen golfers were within four strokes of him. Several golfers rose past Hossler on the leaderboard before he began his round.

Hossler notched five birdies during a 10-hole stretch before the momentum was halted because of a lightning delay. He was bogey-free through 15 holes before storms caused the day’s first suspension of play. He bogeyed the 16th hole upon the resumption of play.

There was another suspension prior to Hossler playing No. 18, with his tee shot going into the rough off the right side of the fairway. But he recovered for par with a 4-foot putt to maintain a share of the lead.

This is the final tournament in the PGA Tour’s regular season. Golfers need to be in the top 70 of the season’s standings to advance to next week’s FedEx Cup playoffs.

Brooks Koepka, who needs a strong finishing spot this weekend to move into the top 70, slumped with a 74 on Saturday and slid to 3 over in the tournament.

Defending champion Cameron Young, who made the cut on the number, shot 72 and is at 1 under for the tournament.

–Field Level Media

A’s Snap L Streak, End Sox Win Streak

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Gage Jump allowed two runs and struck out 11 over six innings, while Tyler Soderstrom and Henry Bolte homered as the Athletics 7-3 defeated the host Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

Jump (5-7) gave up six hits and walked two for the Athletics, who snapped a nine-game losing streak and won for only the second time in 14 games. Jonah Heim and Donovan Walton had two RBIs each, while Jacob Wilson went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

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Andruw Monasterio drove in two runs for the Red Sox, who had their nine-game winning streak halted. It was just their fourth loss in 31 games.

Red Sox starter Jake Bennett (7-5) gave up four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings with three walks and five strikeouts.

Caleb Durbin singled in a run in the ninth for the Red Sox, who loaded the bases with two out against Hogan Harris. But Harris induced Eli White to line out to center and picked up his 10th save.

The Athletics took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on Heim’s two-run single off the green monster in left field.

Walton’s pinch-hit two-run ground-rule double in the sixth extended the lead to 5-2.

The Red Sox had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the sixth but Jump fanned Jarren Duran and Connor Wong.

Soderstrom’s solo homer in the seventh made it 6-2. His 19th home run of the season came on a drive into the right-field stands, estimated at 413 feet, off of reliever Raymond Burgos.

Bolte hit his fifth home run to center in the ninth, also off of Burgos.

Boston took a 2-0 lead in the first on Monasterio’s two-out, two-run single. It stretched his hitting streak to 10 games and on-base stretch to 20 games. The Red Sox stole three bases in the inning, two by Jahmai Jones and one by Durbin.

The Athletics got on the board to make it 2-1 in the fourth on Brian Serven’s soft infield RBI single in front of the plate with two out. The tapper scored Wilson — who led off the inning with a double — from third base.

The Red Sox outhit the Athletics, 10-8. Jones went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, while Nick Sogard went 3-for-4.

Boston left a dozen men on base and went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox “Woo” Adley

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WORCESTER – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox sent recently acquired catcher Adley Rutschman on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Worcester, moving him closer to his debut with his new club.

Rutschman, 28, was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday along with fellow catcher Jake Rodgers and cash for Carlos Narvaez, three minor leaguers and a player to be named.

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A left wrist injury forced Rutschman to the injured list on July 20. An All-Star this season, Rutschman was batting .251 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 67 games for Baltimore. The three-time All-Star is a career .254 hitter with 69 home runs and 277 RBIs in five seasons and 572 games for the Orioles.

The Red Sox have stormed back into playoff contention by going 32-5 since June 25.

Rutschman was in the leadoff spot for Worcester on Saturday and expected to catch five innings.

–Field Level Media

Streaking Sox Take on Losing A’s

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox can do no wrong these days. At least that’s the way it seems.

The Red Sox will enter their Saturday matchup against the visiting Athletics on a nine-game winning streak after recording a 13-1 victory on Friday in the opening contest of a three-game series.

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Boston has won 11 of its last 12 games, 27 of its past 30 and 32 of its past 37 — the best streak in franchise history. The Friday victory was the Red Sox’s 12th in their past 14 home games and improved the team’s record to 29-29 at Fenway Park.

Boston has scored 25 runs in the past two games.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” left fielder Jarren Duran told WEEI following the latest triumph. “I remember at the beginning of the season the feeling was, ‘I hope we score.’ Now it’s gotten to the point of it’s just a matter of when we score and how much are we going to score.”

Catcher Jake Rogers and reliever Raymond Burgos, two players who may not be with the Red Sox for very long, made significant contributions on Friday.

Boston acquired Rogers when it traded for Adley Rutschman because the Red Sox needed a backup catcher until Rutschman is cleared to play after missing time due to left wrist inflammation. Rogers doubled in each of his first two at-bats on Friday. He also walked once, drove in a run and scored three times.

Rutschman hasn’t played since July 18, but following the Friday game, Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said the three-time All-Star is scheduled to catch five innings for Triple-A Worcester on Saturday.

Burgos was called up from Worcester on Friday to fortify a depleted bullpen after Boston played a 13-inning game against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. He made his second major league appearance Friday night and tossed three scoreless innings to earn his first save. He retired each of the nine batters he faced.

The Athletics were limited to two hits in the defeat, which extended their losing streak to nine games. The A’s also parted ways with general manager David Forst on Friday. Forst had been with the organization for 27 seasons.

“For me, (Forst) gave me this opportunity to manage this club,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “We’ve faced our certain circumstances, challenges, together. That’s what’s tough about it. Not being able to see it through with him.

“My ask of (the players) is that they go out and win as many games as possible from this point forward.”

The Athletics will be hoping for a repeat performance when they send rookie Gage Jump (4-7, 4.59 ERA) to the mound on Saturday. The left-hander was the winning pitcher when the Athletics beat the Red Sox 4-3 on July 28 — Boston’s last loss. He tossed six scoreless innings and struck out seven in that win, which is his only career appearance against the Red Sox.

Peyton Tolle Fans 14 in Win

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Payton Tolle recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts and Jarren Duran homered to help the Boston Red Sox extend their winning streak to nine games by beating the visiting Athletics 13-1 Friday night.

Duran’s home run, his 16th of the season, came against starting pitcher Jack Perkins and ignited a five-run second inning. It was his third home run in the last five games.

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Tolle (7-6) didn’t allow a baserunner until Tyler Soderstrom led off the fifth with a home run. It was his 18th homer of the season and cut Boston’s lead to 9-1.

Tolle was pulled after six innings. He allowed one run on two hits and didn’t walk a batter. Raymond Burgos picked up the save by pitching three innings of hitless relief.

Perkins (2-8) gave up five runs on five hits in three innings. He walked three and struck out three. The Athletics have lost their last nine games.

In addition to Duran’s home run, Boston’s five-run second featured back-to-back doubles from Anthony Seigler and Jake Rogers that increased the lead to 3-0 and a two-run double from Wilyer Abreu that drove in Rogers and Nick Sogard to make it 5-0. Abreu collected two of Boston’s 15 hits and drove in three runs. Boston added four runs in the fourth. After Rogers scored on an errant pickoff throw by Hayden Juenger, the Red Sox received an RBI single from Abreu, an RBI double from Masataka Yoshida and an RBI single by Andruw Monasterio.

Sacrifice flies from Caleb Durbin and Yoshida increased Boston’s lead to 11-1 in the sixth.

It was 12-1 after Rogers scored from second on Ceddanne Rafaela’s infield single in the seventh. Rafaela stretched the lead to 13-1 when he scored on Durbin’s double later in the inning.

The Athletics were limited to two hits in the loss. In addition to Soderstrom’s home run, Max Muncy had an infield single in the sixth.

–Field Level Media

Sox Rally 5 Times, Win in 13th

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FENWAY – (Wire Service Report) – Caleb Durbin’s RBI single up the middle in the 13th inning lifted Boston to a wild 12-11 win over the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday, the Red Sox’s eighth consecutive victory. Durbin capped a truly miraculous, come-from-behind Boston victory.

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After Wilyer Abreu was intentionally walked with one out, Durbin (3-for-6) plated automatic runner Nick Sogard from second base to end a 4-hour, 23-minute marathon in which the teams combined for 29 total hits and nine runs in extra innings.

Boston overcame five deficits to sweep the three-game series and win for the 31st time in 36 games.

The Red Sox rallied from 4-0 and 5-2 deficits to tie the game at 5-5 in the fourth and trailed 7-6 before Abreu knocked a two-out, two-strike single in the ninth to force extras. Both teams scored twice in the 10th and once in both the 11th and 12th before Durbin came through in the clutch.

Brayan Bello (4-6) finally posted a zero in the top of the 13th as Boston’s eighth reliever behind starter Ranger Suarez, who worked just three innings.

Chase Meidroth hit a pair of two-run home runs and finished 3-for-5 to lead Chicago. Erick Fedde (6-7) took the loss.

In the ninth, Boston’s Connor Wong clanked a leadoff double off the Green Monster. Sogard’s sacrifice moved pinch runner Eli White to third, and White scored on Abreu’s knock two batters later.

Meidroth tagged Boston closer Aroldis Chapman for his second homer, giving Chicago a 9-7 edge in the 10th, but the hosts responded again. Andruw Monasterio plated Abreu on his second double of the game high off the left field wall. After Jarren Duran was intentionally walked to load the bases, Anthony Seigler’s sacrifice fly made it 9-9.

Chicago’s Colson Montgomery and Abreu traded sac flies in the 11th, but the Red Sox squandered a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity.

In the 12th, the White Sox’s Sam Antonacci knocked a go-ahead single over shortstop. Meidroth followed with a single to left, and Duran cut down a potential insurance run with his throw to the plate.

Jake Rogers followed with a sac fly in the bottom half.

Ceddanne Rafaela, Masataka Yoshida, Monasterio, Seigler and Wong each had two hits for Boston. Montgomery had two hits and two RBIs for the White Sox.

–Field Level Media