OAKLAND — Mark Canha was sure Ryon Healy had ended the game in the ninth only to be robbed by Jackie Bradley Jr. Canha left no doubt about it one inning later.
Canha hit a leadoff homer in the 10th, one inning after Bradley’s spectacular catch, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 on Friday night.
“You never expect a guy to jump up and make an amazing play like that,” Canha said. “But then when it happened I was like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s Jackie Bradley out there.'”
Then after Ryan Dull (2-2) pitched a scoreless top of the 10th, Canha capped a three-hit night with the drive to left field off Heath Hembree (0-2) that set off a raucous celebration for the A’s.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “It’s a night I’ll never forget probably.”
The A’s overcame the catch by Bradley and a record-tying eighth straight double-digit strikeout game from Chris Sale to win their second in a row in the series against Boston.
The A’s would have won it in the ninth except for Bradley. With two outs, Healy hit a drive to center that appeared to have enough to clear the wall and win the game for Oakland. Bradley tracked the ball and leaped as he got to the wall, pulling the ball back into play .
“I knew it was going to be pretty close,” Bradley said. “I knew he hit well but from my point of view I thought maybe I had a chance.”
Healy put his hands on his helmet in frustration, while reliever Craig Kimbrel pointed out in appreciation.
“I don’t know if surprised is the right word but it’s not something I want to see ever again,” Healy said
The A’s managed to get two runs off Sale on an RBI triple in the fifth by Canha and a run-scoring double the next inning by Khris Davis.
Sale finished his night by striking out Chad Pinder and Josh Phegley to end the seventh , reaching the double-digit mark once again. This is the second time in his career Sale has had eight straight starts with at least 10 strikeouts.
“Peripheral stats don’t matter in this game,” Sale said. “I know people love crunching numbers and they love talking about this and that. They’re flashy, they’re cool but at the end of the day they don’t matter.”
Mitch Moreland hit a two-run homer in the fourth off Kendall Graveman for Boston’s offense.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: LHP David Price lasted just two innings in his first minor league rehab start since straining his left elbow in late February. He allowed three runs and five hits in the 65-pitch outing. He had been scheduled to throw 85 to 90 pitches but came out early because of the lengthy innings. … 3B Pablo Sandoval (knee) went 0 for 3 in the same game in his first rehab assignment.
Athletics: RHP John Axford (shoulder) rejoined the team a day after throwing one scoreless inning in a rehab assignment for Triple-A Nashville. He is expected to be activated from the DL this weekend. … 1B Yonder Alonso (knee) hit in the cage before missing his second straight game. He could be back in the lineup this weekend. … SS Marcus Semien had the cast removed from his surgically repaired right wrist.
ELITE COMPANY
The only other pitcher in history with eight straight double-digit strikeout games is Pedro Martinez, who did it in his final eight starts for Boston in 1999. Martinez ended that season with a relief appearance before striking out at least 10 in his first two starts in 2000.
OAKLAND KILLER
Dustin Pedroia reached on an infield single in the fifth inning, extending his hitting streak against Oakland to 22 games. That ties Hall of Famer Jim Rice for the longest streak ever for a Boston player against Oakland and is the longest active streak by a player against any team.
DROUGHT ENDED
Red Sox OF Andrew Benintendi returned from a needed day off and promptly snapped an 0-for-26 skid in his first at-bat. Benintendi hit an opposite-field grounder just inside the third-base line for a leadoff double in the second. Graveman retired the next three batters to strand him at third. Benintendi finished 2 for 4.
UP NEXT
Former A’s pitcher Drew Pomeranz (3-3) faces Oakland for the first time in his career when he takes on Sean Manaea (1-3) in the third game of the series.
