Connelly Early struck out 11 to tie the Red Sox record for a major league debut, and Boston beat the Athletics 6-0 Tuesday night to close on the New York Yankees for the top AL wild card.

Early (1-0) matched Don Aase's 11 strikeouts against Milwaukee on July 26, 1977. That was the career high for Aase, who pitched 447 more games in a 13-season career.

Boston (81-65) took a four-run lead before making an out, winning its third straight and moving within one percentage point of the Yankees (80-64).

A 23-year-old left-hander selected in the fifth round of the 2023 amateur draft, Early (1-0) allowed five hits and walked one, throwing 61 of 90 pitches for strikes. He was the third Red Sox pitcher to debut in a start this season after Hunter Dobbins and Payton Tolle.

Romy González extended h

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