A's shut out Red Sox to end 8-game skid
OAKLAND -- Ryan Noda and JJ Bleday homered in the second inning and the Oakland Athletics ended an eight-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.
The Athletics were much sharper a day after striking out a season-high 18 times while being held to one hit or fewer for the third time this season in a 7-0 loss to the Red Sox.
Noda, who was 14-for-86 (.163) over his previous 25 games, homered off Boston starter Joe Jacques (1-1) leading off the second. After Aledmys Díaz reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Yu Chang, Bleday hit his sixth homer and first off a left-hander this season.
"He just continues to go out and grind," A's manager Mark Kotsay said. "It's not easy for any young player, especially a Rule 5-type player, to go in and have impact but Ryan's done a nice job with just continuing to put his head down, continuing to work on his approach, continuing to try to get on base for us."
Luis Medina (3-7) allowed three hits in 5 2/3 innings for his first win since June 10. Medina made a nice play on a comebacker in the second, pitched out of a jam with a runner on second in the fourth, then struck out the side swinging in the fifth.
"He's got good stuff." Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "He was able to use the sinker in after slowing them down, and we didn't do much."
Trevor May, the A's fourth reliever, got the final three outs for his seventh save. He had his 500th career strikeout.
Cora had hoped to avoid reaching deep into his bullpen, but was forced to go to his relievers after Jacques retired only four batters in his first major league start. He allowed four hits and three runs with one strikeout and one walk.
The A's won after Kotsay was ejected in the first inning.
"I watched the game from my office," Kotsay said. "It's not the best of places to watch a game from. But it obviously feels good to get a win. Guys played really well tonight."
Oakland leadoff batter Tony Kemp tripled down the first base line then tried to score on a wild pitch two batters later. Kemp sprinted toward the plate and jumped around catcher Jorge Alfaro, but was called out by home plate umpire Adam Hamari for running out of the base path.
Kotsay came out to protest and was ejected for the fourth time this season and second by Hamari following a heated argument.
"It's a subjective call," Kotsay said. "Adam's a great umpire. He made a decision that Tony, to avoid the tag, went out of his three-feet established area. My argument was he established his base path inside the base line and that he didn't go outside the three feet. We're not going to agree on it. I also know that my reaction was aggressive and a little unwarranted to this extent."
Masataka Yoshida doubled twice for Boston. The Red Sox committed three errors, tying a season high.
Boston had runners on first and third with one out in the second before Medina got Christian Arroyo to strike out swinging. Noda then made a diving stop of Alfaro's sharp grounder, got up and ran to the bag for the out.
"Having a good first baseman is huge for the whole infield," Noda said. "A good first baseman equals a really good infield."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: SS Trevor Story (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Portland on Friday. … LHP Chris Sale (shoulder inflammation) threw a bullpen session in Boston and felt fine afterward. … RHP Corey Kluber is expected to throw two innings when he begins his rehab assignment Friday. … 3B Rafael Devers (calf tightness) was kept out of the lineup for a second consecutive game.
Athletics: Jordan Diaz was back in the lineup at DH, one day after leaving Monday due to illness. … Ramón Laureano (fractured right hand) was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas to begin a rehab assignment.
UP NEXT
Boston RHP Bryan Bello ((7-5, 3.14 ERA) faces Oakland LHP (2-6, 6.66) in the series finale Wednesday.
