Nick Pivetta pitches way into Red Sox history books with dominant relief performance

Even without Rafael Devers, who’s day-to-day with right calf tightness, the Red Sox lineup is relentless. On Monday evening in Oakland, they collected 10 hits and demolished the downtrodden A’s, 7-0.

Aside from Yu Chang, every batter collected a hit, but Connor Wong was the only Red Sox player with a multi-hit game. The catcher went 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI.

But all due respect to the impressive Boston bats, this night belonged to Nick Pivetta.

After Brennan Bernardino opened the game with a pair of scoreless innings, Pivetta took over and pitched one of the best relief performances in baseball history.

Over six innings, he induced 14 swings & misses, didn’t allow a single hit, and racked up strikeouts.

With his tenth strikeout, he joined Hideo Nomo (April 4, 2001) and Smoky Joe Wood (July 29, 1911) as the only three Red Sox pitchers to reach double-digit Ks without allowing a hit.

When Pivetta reached 12 (his seventh consecutive K), he tied Diego Segui (1974) and Dick Radatz (1963) for the franchise record for strikeouts in a relief performance.

His 13th K set a new one.

“Good fastball, good command of his off-speed pitches, working ahead, great tempo,” Alex Cora lauded to NESN postgame.

Pivetta’s 13 strikeouts put him three away from the Major League record set by Randy Johnson, who took over a suspended game from none other than Curt Schilling, and struck out 16 batters. Denny McClain, Rube Marquard, and Walter Johnson are the only other pitchers with more strikeouts in a relief outing.

“That was fun to watch,” the manager said, adding. “He likes pitching here.”

Indeed, Pivetta’s only other two games in Oakland were also deep, scoreless performances. He struck out 10 over seven innings there on July 4, 2021, and seven over seven on June 4, 2022. In both games, he held the A’s to two hits and the Red Sox won.

At this point, it’s fair to say that Pivetta is one of the best trades of the Chaim Bloom era. Acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2020 season, he only cost the Red Sox Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree. On a team with never-ending pitching problems, the value club-controlled Pivetta brings, with his durability and versatility, cannot be overstated.

Chris Martin pitched a scoreless ninth to cement the combined shutout. His three strikeouts brought the pitching staff’s total to 18, matching the Brewers (July 14) for the single-game season high this season. It’s Boston’s most strikeouts in a game since 2021, and tied for the fourth-most in franchise history.

Postgame, Pivetta was quick to credit his teammates for their part in his historic night.

“Wonger was incredible back there,” Pivetta said appreciatively to NESN’s Jahmai Webster. “Berny did a really good job opening.”

“It’s a great honor,” the pitcher said of making history, but added, “All those things are great things, but the most important thing is that we won a baseball game today.”

About an hour later, the Angels walked off the Yankees in the bottom of the 10th inning, pushing Boston’s greatest rival into sole occupancy of the American League East cellar.