JJ Bleday hit a two-run home run, Joe Boyle pitched six strong innings, and the Oakland A’s defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3-0 on Monday night.
Bleday hit his 16th home run in the first inning, and Lawrence Butler added a sacrifice fly in the fifth to provide all of the runs.
Boyle (3-5) kept the Rays to just two hits and three walks while striking out six batters. Grant Holman, Tyler Ferguson, and Mason Miller followed with hitless innings and combined for five more strikeouts, with Miller earning his 19th save.
The A’s took an early lead in the first inning, which they maintained throughout the game. Butler led off the inning with a single, and after Brent Rooker struck out, Bleday hit a fastball into the right-field bleachers.
Zack Gelof had two of the A’s six hits, with a single in the second inning and a double in the fifth. He scored on Butler’s sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.
Tampa Bay had runners on base in all but three innings but couldn’t capitalize. The Rays were hitless until the fifth inning when Yandy Diaz singled with two outs but was left stranded. Díaz has reached base in 31 straight road games.
Boyle threw 104 pitches, and his six strikeouts matched his career high.
Rays starter Taj Bradley (6-8) allowed three runs and five hits with three walks and two strikeouts in six innings.
