Rays limited to 2 hits in 3-0 loss to Oakland A's

By Emily Ohman
Published  August 20, 2024 6:37am EDT
Associated Press

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 19: Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls (6) bats during an MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics on August 19, 2024, at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sport …

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TAMPA, Fla. - JJ Bleday hit a two-run homer, Joe Boyle pitched six effective innings and the Oakland A's beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-0 on Monday night.

Bleday got his 16th home run in the first inning and Lawrence Butler added a sacrifice fly in the fifth to account for all of the offense. "If I get this job done, we get a run on the board," Butler said. "I’m really in the box focused up, trying to do the job for my team."

Boyle (3-5) limited the Rays to just two hits and three walks while striking out six. Grant Holman, Tyler Ferguson and Mason Miller each followed with hitless innings while combining for five more strikeouts, with Miller getting his 19th save.

OAKLAND, CA - AUGUST 19: Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Taj Bradley (45) pitches in the first inning during an MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics on August 19, 2024, at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA. (Photo by Trin …

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"Throwing with conviction and trusting my stuff is probably the biggest thing," Boyle said after his outing. "It’s worked for me in the past, and it’s what I want to continue to do."

The A's jumped out to an early lead in the first that they never relinquished. Butler singled to open the inning and, after Brent Rooker struck out, Bleday smashed a fastball to the right field bleachers.

"I love setting the tone for the team," Butler said. "I’m trying to bring the energy, just trying to get the boys going, so I enjoy hitting first."

Zack Gelof had two of Oakland's six hits, with a single in the second and double in the fifth. He scored on Butler's sacrifice fly in the fifth.

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Tampa Bay had runners on in all but three innings but could not convert. The Rays were hitless until the fifth when Yandy Díaz singled with two outs but was left stranded. Díaz has reached base on the road in 31 straight games.

Boyle threw 104 pitches and his six strikeouts tied a career high.

"I definitely think he pushed through those six innings. It wasn’t necessarily pretty," Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. "He really showed a little bit of fight and some bounce-back, too."

Rays starter Taj Bradley (6-8) gave up the three runs and five hits with three walks and two strikeouts in six innings.