Tanner Houck turned in a quality outing and the Red Sox bats got going early in what turned into a 7-0 win over the Oakland A's Thursday night at Fenway Park. The Sox took 2 of 3 from the A's and won 5 of the 6 regular season meetings between the 2 clubs.
The Red Sox got on the board with 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st inning against Luis Medina. Jarren Duran led off with a walk and went 1st to 3rd on a double from David Hamilton. Tyler O'Neill and Rafael Devers both struck out. Connor Wong walked to keep the inning alive and that loaded the bases. Masa Yoshida came through with a 2-out, 2-run single and Wilyer Abreu made it 3-0 with an RBI double.
Connor Wong belted a solo Home Run in the 3rd inning to make it 4-0. It's his 8th of the season.
All-Star Tanner Houck made the start in the series finale against the A's. Houck picked up the win against the A's in his first start of the season back in early April and picked up the victory, his 8th, Thursday night. Houck did not allow a hit until the 5th inning.
Kyle McCann reached with a 1-out single and he was erased on an inning-ending double play. Houck left 2 runners in scoring position in his 6th and final inning. He went 6 scoreless and allowed only 2 hits, both singles. Houck walked 3 and fanned 6. He's 2-0 with 12 scoreless innings in 2 starts this season against Oakland. Thursday night was his 5th scoreless outing of 2024.
Masa Yoshida extended the Red Sox lead with a 2-run Home Run in the 6th inning and that put the Red Sox up, 7-0. Yoshida had 2 hits and 4 RBIs in the Sox 51st win of the season.
Connor Wong went 2-for-3 with a Home Run, walk and 3 runs scored.
Wilyer Abreu went 3-for-4 with a 2B, HR and 2 RBIs.
Chase Anderson went the final 3 innings and didn't allow a run. Anderson credited with the save, his 3rd.
Locked On Red Sox POSTCAST Notes- Sox are back to 10 games over .500. The shutout win was the 10th of the season for the Red Sox pitching staff.
The Red Sox close out before the All-Star break with the 1st of 3 against the Kansas City Royals Friday night at Fenway. Royals had an off day on Thursday and swept a doubleheader against the Cardinals on Wednesday.
The Red Sox with 3 Home Runs in the win and have hit 13 Home Runs over their last 6 Games.
Ceddanne Rafaela made a great play with a jump throw to 1st to get Zack Gelof to end the top of the 4th Inning.
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(upbeat music) - It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. (clears throat) (upbeat music) - You are a Lockdown Red Sox Postcast, part of Lockdown Sports Boston. On the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. - Well, to our magic three home runs, a quality outing from All Star 10, or how that all added up to a Red Sox victory in the series finale against the Oakland A's Thursday night at Fenway with the win, Red Sox take two out of three, with the win, Red Sox back to 10 games over 500. We welcome you into our latest edition of the Lockdown Red Sox Postcast. I'm Steve Lennox, long time play-by-play announcer, MLB on ESPN Radio College baseball in the ESPN networks, long horn network, ACC network, ACC network, 10 years riding the buses in the minor leagues as a broadcaster, national host on ESPN radio and satellite radio. And yes, a guy with a dangerous amount of useless baseball information. We're gonna pass some of that along to you over the next 30 minutes or so. We are providing reaction to every Red Sox game on the Lockdown Sports YouTube channel as well as the Lockdown Red Sox podcast feed, which you know is free and available wherever you get your podcasts and where Gabby Herlbert provides in-depth Red Sox content Monday through Friday during the work week, Gabby's baseball chat with Red Sox pitching coach, Andrew Belli is going to debut on Friday. Not only are we providing reaction to the latest Red Sox, when we're asking for you and your input, we are asking you to join the conversation, all you have to do is click on the comment button on the YouTube channels. We go live on the YouTube channel after each and every Red Sox game. Introduce yourself and share your thoughts. Tanner Howe, six scoreless innings. 10th shut out win of the season for the Red Sox. We're gonna be talking about that. Socks, three and four hitters. O'Neill, Devers, rough nights, quiet nights. Did not matter on this particular night. Rest of the lineup delivered and delivered in a big way. Plus of Alex Cora and the Red Sox come to an agreement on a contract extension, say in the coming weeks, as big or bigger than the club actually making a trade or two at the deadline. Our latest Red Sox, locked on Red Sox postcast, brought to you by our sponsor booking.com, booking.com. Yeah, the right stay can make you a fan of any city. Even your rivals, check out booking.com for your stay today. So the series finale. Socks took the opener a couple of nights ago, dropped Wednesday night's game. As the A's were able to even up the series at a game of peace. Tanner Howe, scoreless top of the first inning. And something the Red Sox did not do Wednesday night in losing to the A's. They didn't set the tone early on and they didn't come through and clutch situations. A couple of times face is loaded, not allowed to show for it. Jared Ran, got things going. Set the tone almost immediately with a walk against Luis Medina in the home first inning. Duran first to third with a speed on a double off the short right field wall by David Hamilton second and third, nobody out. Tyler O'Neill strunk out. Raphael Devers strunk out looking. Second and third, two outs you're thinking, you're gonna let this guy off the hook in the first inning. Didn't happen. Connor Wong, nice night at the plate. Kept the inning alive with a two out walk, base is full. Maso Yoshida, may have broken his mat. Bat died a hero if he did. Yoshida, two out two runs single. His base hit sneaking into Ryan Field. Will your Abreu RBI double three nothing? Eight batters coming to the plate in the inning. Saks score three runs never trailed. Ended up leaving two runners in scoring position in that first inning. Didn't end up the cost. Didn't end up costing him at any point. Luis Medina, 34 pitches in that first inning and tip of the cap to the Red Sox. Did not left Medina off the hook. Three runs in the first inning. Then the Red Sox added on. Bottom three, Connor Wong, solo home run. Four nothing, Wong number eight on the season. Went 420 feet. 104.7 off the bat with the exit velocity. I looked up baseball savantmlb.com and sometimes I like looking at the numbers. That was not the hardest hit ball of that inning. It was actually not even close to the hardest ball. Hit that inning. But it was one or four seven off the bat. Wong the home run to left. It would have been out in all 30 major league ballparks. I bring that up to bring this up. Will your abreya in the fourth inning two out? RBI double in the first rib Reya led off the fourth with a home run to center field. And I thought it was a blast. It was. And first, Nessin reference. Dave O'Brien, Kevin Eucles. They talked about how the wind has been whipping at Fenway the last couple of days. And that one to dead center field off the bat of Abreya and Abreya the home run. That made it five nothing. It went 399. It would have only been out of four other big league ballparks. That's what I like about baseball so long. It would have been out at Dodger Stadium. It would have been out at Pekko Park in San Diego. And it would have been out at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Five nothing Abreya the home run. Masa Yoshida kept his nice night at the plate. Two run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning seven nothing at that point in time. And at that point, the only thing you're really thinking about is can the Red Sox pick up a shutout? And they did. Tanner Halk was terrific. Alex Cora almost made me say, why are you doing this in the sixth inning? But he actually went out to the mound. Had a quick conversation. Halk was able to get the final out or two outs in that inning. Ran into a little bit of trouble in that sixth inning. But Halk lead off the walk in the first inning. And that's a JJ Bliday left a runner on base. And that was it. And the first. Halk came back at his first strike out. Fell behind Zach Geloff in the second inning. He came back, struck him out. Then got a ground ball and a strike out for his first one, two, three inning. Halk in the third. A comebacker, a walk, a strike out his third. Fly ball, left one on. Fourth inning, Halk picked up a couple of strikeouts and a ground ball out. Worked a one, two, three, fourth inning. And in case you haven't seen the highlight yet, you want to see it. Fourth inning, two outs. Ground ball, deep short snap. Satan on Rafael, at short snap going deep to his right. And jump throw in the air. One hop throw to first base. And got Zach Geloff by plenty actually. Great play by Satan on Rafaela. And that ended the fourth inning. Halk gave up a one-out single to Kyle McCann in the fifth inning. That was the first hit for the eight. They did not have a hit against Halk over the first four innings after the hit by Kyle McCann. Halk got out of the inning rolling a 6-4-3 double play. In that sixth inning, a single retire the next two hitters. Got a walk. They had second and third. Got a ground ball. Got out of it. Halk terrific. Six innings, two hits, no runs. Three walks, six strikeouts. And 103 pitches. His fifth scoreless outing of the season. Twelve scoreless innings in going 2-0 and two starts against the A's this year. Remember, his first start of the season back April 1 in Oakland. He tossed six shutout innings. And I had, I think, 10 strikeouts in that ball game as well. Halk with the win. His first victory since beating the Phillies at Fenway back on June 13 is eighth win overall on the season. So the Red Sox pick up the victory. Again, back to 10 games over 500. Halk terrific. Next start for Tanner Halk, all-star game. Arlington, Texas, Tuesday night. American League nationally. We'll see. You know, he's likely going to get an inning, right? I hope he does. I really want to-- I'm actually getting excited about Halk and Duran and their appearances in the all-star game on Tuesday. I wasn't sure if that was going to come. It came tonight when watching Tanner Halk and his six scoreless innings against the Oakland A's and what turned out to be a seven-nothing victory for the Red Sox. Numbers of the night later, but a couple of numbers here. 10. 10's shutout win of the season for the Red Sox. We'll get more into that in our numbers of the night. Sox 51-41 through their first 92. 10 games over 500 again. They'll try to go 11 games over 500 for the first time in the season series opener against the Royals at Fenway on Friday night. With the win on Thursday night, Red Sox take two out of three from Oakland. They go five and one against the A's this season. They've now won three straight series, sweeping the Marlins in Miami last week, taking two of three this past weekend against the Yankees and the Bronx and taking two of three to open up the final home stand before the all-star break from the Oakland A's. And the Red Sox are now seven, one, and one over their last nine series total. Only series they lost in that nine series stretch at home, dropping two of three against the San Diego Padres, who sometimes it's when you play a team, we know that. It's becoming cliché to say that. But at the time that Padres came to Fenway a few weeks ago, they were hot. Angels, yes, but still plenty of oomph in that lineup. And they took two out of three in the series. So the Red Sox now 11 and five against teams from the AL West. Eight and six now in their last 14 games at Fenway Park. That's important. Keep winning games at Fenway. Keep winning series at home as well. Socks now to within two games of 500. And the reason I keep bringing up that number, 200, 500, and 10 over 500 overall. That again, shows you how well they've been playing on the road away from Boston throughout the course of this 2024 major league baseball regular season. Hopefully that continues after the all-star break because they open up on the road on the West Coast against the Dodgers. And that road trip, I think, goes through two cities. Don't have the second one off the top of my head right now. But Red Sox now, 9-1 in the house last 10 starts, 13-6 overall. And as 19, it starts on the season. Red Sox pick up the victory. Again, they've won three straight series. When the opener against Oakland on Tuesday, drop game two Wednesday. And if they just had some clutch and timely hitting in that game on Wednesday, may have been able to come away with a victory in a series sweep, but they take two out of three, and you like it. You like it a lot. By the way, Chase Anderson, tip of the cap to Chase Anderson. Three scoreless in relief. Got the final out of the ball game with a strikeout. Anderson did his job. Three scoreless innings. Picks up the save, I believe, is third. Now tomorrow, you're looking at the potential of a bullpen day or possibly Cooper Criswell coming up from AAA. Criswell went down three or four outings. They've all been solid, and he's done his job down there. Hey, go down. We want to continue to keep you every fifth day, every sixth day. Mixing an extra day in there if we can. But he's been solid in his outings. And he deserves credit for that. But Chase Anderson, three scoreless. If you've got to go to a bullpen day on Friday, you feel a little bit better about it with Chase Anderson going three scoreless and preserving the shut-out win for the Red Sox their tenth on the season. Locked on Sports Boston, your home. And locked on Sports Boston YouTube channel is the number one place to hang out immediately after every game. Locked on Sports Boston, your team, every day. I had a thought on the Sox. I'm going to share that with you next. Again, this is the locked on Red Sox postcast talking about the Sox shut-out win against the 80s on Thursday night at Fenway. [MUSIC PLAYING] Yeah, hit the right button and you move on from there, right? Locked on, Red Sox postcast sponsored by Stitch Fix. With Stitch Fix, you get a stylist who understands your style, size, and budget. They do all the shopping for you. It's the easiest way to update your wardrobe this season. With Stitch Fix, you can easily upgrade your wardrobe. This year, with professional stylists that helps you find new entrend favorites that will work for you. Stitch Fix makes it all so easy. Now, I don't like to shop, and they are going to save you time if you don't like to shop like me. They're going to save you time and effort. Plus, you're going to get outfits that make you look and feel really good. And if you don't love something, you send it back. Shipping returns, exchanges, always free. 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Let the licensed professionals and tax experts at Tax Network USA go to bed for you. With over 14 years of experience and an 8-plus rating by the Better Business Bureau, Tax Network USA has saved their clients over $1 billion in tax debt, whether you owe taxes, have complicated matters that do require tax planning, or if you finally hit that parlay this season and you need help correctly finally, call 1-800-549-1000 or visit tnusa.com/lockedon. And be sure to mention the Locked on Red Sox Postcast at checkout and you're going to receive a $250 discount off of their services. Again, call 1-800-549-1000 or visit tnusa.com/lockedon. Be sure to mention Locked on Red Sox Postcast at checkout and receive a $250 discount off services. So the Red Sox pick up the victory. They set the tone early. Two-hour magic in that first inning. All three runs going with two outs and an inning. And three home runs. Socks are using the long ball. In case you haven't noticed, they've stopped stealing bases. Tonight really not that many opportunities. Duran had the lead-off walk almost instantly going first to third on a double off the bat of David Hamilton. He crushed that ball, wide drive. And had a chance to get out on that short wall near the bullpen's out and right field. But he actually absolutely tattooed that ball. And good base running by Duran. Understood the right fielder wasn't going to catch up to it. Understood that it was over his head, read it well, goes first to third, double for Hamilton. They end up scoring. Three runs total in that first inning. Three home runs. Tanner Hauck, six scoreless. Now off to Arlington for Tanner Hauck, as he will get the start-- or actually I shouldn't say that yet. It's premature. Fingers crossed. He'll get the start. Fingers crossed he gets an inning. Tuesday, American League, National League, all-star game in Arlington, Texas. So I had a thought. Happens every couple of days or so. So we know manager Alex Korie is not signed beyond the season, right? Seeing some speculate that if Korie was going to leave Boston, leave the Red Sox after this season, some people are throwing it out there that, hey, he could go to the Yankees. He could possibly end up as the next manager of the New York Yankees. Do I think that-- yeah, it's a long shot. Let's call it that. Is it impossible to happen? No, it's not. It certainly could happen. It's certainly a scenario that you could see playing out. But right now, Alex Korie is the manager of the Red Sox. But there are people saying, hey, if they're going to let him walk, he could walk to the Bronx. It does make some sense on certain levels. And I've been thinking about this over the last week or so. Future managerial candidates. We haven't had a manager fired at the Major League level this year. But I've been thinking about this over the last week or so. Future managerial candidates. And not just for the Red Sox, but for teams around baseball as well. And I think right now, I've landed on the fact that the Red Sox have two future big league managers, certainly candidates, right? They've got two. And you could probably name them, just like me. Bench coach Ramon Vazquez and Jason Veritek, whose title, by the way, is game planning coordinator and catching coach. Korie Leves-- I'm sure the Red Sox will have multiple interviews, but you've got two terrific in-house candidates right there. Were they both the first time managers in the big league level? Yes, they would. But another thought on Alex Korie. And I'm not really sure if this is a shot in the arm or not. But if he in the club could announce an extension in the coming weeks, that he's going to be with the Red Sox beyond the 2024 baseball season. Korie knows the talent that he has right now at the big league level. A lot of young talent. A superstar in Raffy Devers, who just goes out there every day and posts, right? He knows he has a talent at the big league level. And he knows the talent that is coming from the upper tiers of the minor league system as well. So why would he leave? Front office, ownership. Yeah, you could throw those things out there. But Alex Korie right now, perfect spot for this team. I said it way back when they broke the curse. Terry Francona was the perfect manager for that Red Sox team. He was a perfect manager in 2004. Alex Korie right now very well could be the perfect manager for this team, not only for 2024. And at some point during the second half of the season, you're going to start hearing about Alex Korie, manager of the year candidate, right? Absolutely. But I just thought about that. You've got Ramon Vazquez, you've got Jason Veritek. And again, not just for the Red Sox of Korie does decide to go elsewhere after the season is over. But those two guys are going to be on shortlist for other big league clubs as well. Again, just had a thought. I have them every once in a while. And again, why would Alex Korie want to leave the Red Sox organization? In case you missed this one, ESPN's Dave Schoenfield gave the Red Sox a B plus for their first half. I'd go A minus because no one had the Red Sox in the position that they're currently in 10 games over 500 with three games to go before the all-star break. So I'd given A minus. And it's not a soft A minus. I'm giving a solid A minus for the Red Sox for their first half of the season. 10 games over 500 with a shutout win against the A's Thursday night. Dave Schoenfield from ESPN gives their socks a B plus. He's Dave Schoenfield. I'm not. What did I love about the Red Sox victory Thursday night? Well, A, they take the series, right? They take the series from the Oakland A's. You needed to do that. You go five and one against the A's this year. It's a team that's 35 and 60 now on the season. 25 games under 500. Did that math real quick. But let's hear. Let's go here real quick through the box score, okay? Two hits for Hamilton. Run scored, right? Okay, go down the line up a little bit further. Connor Wong, home run, two hits, a walk, three runs scored. Masa Yoshida, starting to come around with that bat. Three hits, four RBIs including the home run. Got the Red Sox on the board in that first inning with the two out magic. Dom Smith went over three. Okay, well you're a brayer, three hits. Double, home run, two RBIs. But eight, nine hitters, Smith, satan Rafaela, both going over three. The two big bats, Tyler O'Neill and Raffi Devers combining the O for seven. Roman Gonzalez did enter the game and pinch it for Devers late. And so, O'Neill, O for four, four strikeouts. Devers, O for three, two strikeouts. There's actually a positive in there because you win the game seven nothing. You put up seven runs, you out hit the A's 10 to four and you pick up the victory with your three four hitters going to combine O for seven with six strikeouts. Take it, run with it, love it and speak of the positives. Seven nothing win, 10 games over 500. You move on from there. Three to go against the Royals before an all-star break. Haven't heard any tales of what guys have on the docket for the all-star break. I'm sure they're gonna be en route in transit after the game on Sunday. Over, under, by the way, we're gonna throw it out there right now. Over, under, take the under. Sending it at two and a half hours. Lot of first pitch swinging. Gonna happen on Sunday in the series finale with the Royals and the Red Sox. We have a goodbye. We're gonna say goodbye in one way when we come back. We're also gonna have numbers of the night as well. Locked on Red Sox postcast, brought to you by booking.com, booking.yeah. 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A's aren't making the postseason this year. I'm gonna go out on that limb. But next year, they're gonna be finally known as the affectionately known as the Sacramento A's. So, the A's franchise from Philadelphia to Kansas City, to Oakland, to Sacramento, and at some point down the road, who knows when, to Las Vegas. So, we do say goodbye to the Oakland A's. Red Sox, barring some sort of miracle that nobody knows about right now, they'll never play the Oakland A's again. Let's move on. I'm not getting teary-eyed. I promise you that. Numbers of the night. Let's get into 'em. Got a couple of good ones here. Numbers of the night. Tanner Howe, six scoreless. Picks up the win, eighth on the year, right? Tanner Howe with his fifth scoreless outing of the season and second against the Oakland A's. Next time he faces A's, it'll be in Boston, and they'll be known as the Sacramento A's, or in Sacramento, California. Triple A ballpark. Have fun pitching there. 21, 21 wins now. 21 and nine record for the Red Sox in the final game of a series. I think I pretty much bring that one up after the final game of every series now, but 21 and nine. Rubber game in the three game set. Win it when the series, check mark for the Red Sox for Thursday night against the Oakland A's. 10th shot out of the season. Fourth, by the way, involving Tanner Howe. Only one team more shot out wins this season than the Red Sox, Red Sox now have 10. The Atlanta Braves, Chris Sale, the Braves have 11 on the season. And 13, three, three home runs, Thursday night, seven, nothing victory. 13 home runs now for the Red Sox over their last six games. So now the Royals come to town. You don't know much about the Royals. That's what I'm here for. The Royals right now, right in the mix for a wild card spot. We'll see what happens here. Just gonna go here real quick. Yankees lose, Orioles lose. Let's go with the number five and a half. Five and a half. Looking at the standings right now. The Red Sox aren't five and a half behind the Yankees for a wild card spot. They're five and a half games behind the Baltimore Orioles who have been swept by the Chicago Cubs, Cubs winning the finale Thursday night. So right now, the Yankees in second place, two games behind the Orioles. The Red Sox are five and a half back. Well, the 14, just a few weeks ago. And the Red Sox are two games behind the Yankees in the loss column. Yes, we're scoreboard watching. Yes, we're looking at the standings. But yes, the Royals are a team that's right there looking for a wild card spot as well. Have they gotten back on the right track? I'm not sure. Off day, Thursday for the Royals. And they've got three solid pitchers going. They've got their three guys. Their three top guys pretty much. Michael Walker is in that conversation as well for the rotation for the Kansas City Royals, but he's not pitching over the weekend at Fenway. We'll get into their pitchers here in just a moment. But the Red Sox were 15, or the Royals, pardon me, the Royals were 15 games over 500 back on May 25th. 34 and 19 record. 17 and 24 since. Doubleheader sweep against the Cardinals on Wednesday. So they lost three and a row. Now they've won three straight. And in those three games, they've scored a total of 24 runs. So averaging eight again. The math is simple right there. You know the name Bobby Whit Jr. Vinny Pascuentino is a guy who's a thumper in that lineup. Garcia Isbell can go get it in the outfield. And then you have Salvador Perez behind the plate as well. So this is a team that you don't sleep on. You wrap up on Sunday and you've taken two of three from the Royals. We'll tip our cap even more to the Red Sox as well. But Cole Reggens is going to go in the open. Reggens five and six record overall, 3.28 ERA. 19 starts on the season. And he's a strikeout pitcher. And the Red Sox have struck out a lot of late. 13 more times on Thursday night. Reggens, 109 and 2/3. And he's pitched 134 strikeouts. Royals are just eight and 11 in his start so far this year. One in five in his previous six outeds. So it's Reggens on Friday in game one. TBA, Cooper Criswell possibly, or bullpen game in game one for the Red Sox. Not sure if Alex Corey shared that with the media after the game. Saturday cut a Crawford Seth Lugo. Lugo all-star having a career year. And then Sunday Brian Bayo against Brady Singer. And in that matchup, I just had this thought. One of a couple today, I'm on a roll. But I just had this thought. Bayo and Singer, they can both go out there and give you seven innings of one run baseball. They can both be done in a third inning. Not just looking at the numbers, but looking at the physique, both right-handers, both with repertoire's. Both, again, can give you great outings or they can give you clunkers. We'll see what happens with probably what's going to be a lot of free swinging. I would imagine on Sunday in the series finale final game before the all-star break. Again, TBD to be determined, bullpen day, perhaps Cooper Criswell going up. If he comes up, somebody's got to go down. Reggens, one more note on him. Two-armed runs are last 14 times this year. And his 19 starts. Devers, 0 for 3, career against Cole Reggens. Tyler O'Neill, 0 for 3, career against Cole Reggens. Connor Wong, 1 for 2, double and a run batted in in his career. Not a lot of the bats for the Red Sox hitters against the right-hander Cole Reggens, who will go in the opener on Friday. And we will be on with the minutes of the last out of Friday series opener against the Kansas City Royals from Fenway Park. And hey, a lot of fun here. A lot of fun. We continue to get great numbers with our podcast. We want to continue to build our numbers with the lockdown sports Boston YouTube channel as well. Again, we'll continue to remind you, we can one within minutes of the last out of each and every Red Sox game all season long. We do tip our cap to you. And we do thank you for making lockdown Red Sox your first listen every day. We are free and available wherever you get your podcast. And also on the lockdown sports Boston YouTube channel as well part of lockdown podcast network, your team every day. One more series, three more games to go before the all-star break. All gas, no breaks for the Red Sox, the first of three against the Royals and that series underway Friday night at Fenway Park. Again, we'll go live within minutes of the last out after Friday's ballgame with our latest edition of the lockdown Red Sox postcast. Lockdown sports Boston, the number one place to hang out immediately after every game. Lockdown sports, your team, your teams every day. [ Silence ] [ Music ] A prime members, you can listen to this lockdown podcast ad free on Amazon Music. 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