OAKLAND, Calif. — Even before the video review, Eduardo Rodriguez realized speedy Marcus Semien was safe at first base.
Rodriguez’s no-hit bid for the Boston Red Sox was broken up after a replay reversal with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Oakland Athletics scored off reliever Craig Kimbrel in the ninth to earn a 1-0 victory Sunday.
Red Sox slugger David Ortiz offered Rodriguez a hug after he came off the field, and these words: “You did the best job you could do – buen trabajo in Spanish,” Rodriguez recalled.
Trying to complete Boston’s first no-hitter in eight years, Rodriguez stuck out his right leg to knock down Semien’s grounder. The left-hander had to search for the ball in the dirt on the mound before scooping it up and making a quick throw to first.
Semien initially was ruled out by umpire Laz Diaz. A’s Manager Bob Melvin challenged the call, which was overturned after a brief review.
Replays clearly showed Semien was safe, just as Rodriguez knew they would. And the infield single ended his run at a no-hitter in frustrating fashion.
“You’ve got to ask everybody who’s lost a no-hitter how it feels,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez got the final out of the eighth, keeping the game scoreless. After that, his day was done.
“He was outstanding, and unfortunately he gets a ball off his shoe that he can’t seemingly find, and that’s the end of a potentially history-making day here,” Red Sox Manager John Farrell said.
In the ninth, Danny Valencia drew a leadoff walk against Kimbrel (2-4), and Brock Holt misplayed Khris Davis’ double in deep left field for an error that allowed Valencia to score from first base.
Oakland snapped a five-game losing streak overall, and a nine-game skid to Boston.
Ryan Madson (5-4) pitched the ninth for the win.
Ortiz, playing his final game in Oakland, received a standing ovation before his initial at-bat, when he struck out swinging to end the first.
He went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts and two walks after going 5 for 6 with five RBI in the first two games of the series.
“It’d be nice if he took a day off,” Melvin joked before the game. “He’s performing as well as he ever has.”
Farrell said he has no plans to use Ortiz at first base during the upcoming three-game series in San Diego, meaning he’ll be relegated to pinch-hitting duties.
After Boston outscored Oakland 27-4 in the previous two games, neither team could capitalize Sunday until the very end.
The Red Sox had scored at least 11 runs in all five previous meetings this season.
A’s starter Kendall Graveman struck out seven in 61/3 sharp innings.
“You know they’re going to put some good swings on you, and today a couple of balls were hit hard right at people, and that helped us,” said Graveman.
Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 11 games and has hit in 20 straight against the A’s.
MONCADA’S FIRSTS
A day after getting his first hit and first RBI, Red Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada committed his first error and was picked off after the first of his two hits Sunday. He did make a nice defensive play in the seventh inning, snagging Billy Butler’s hard liner.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rookie outfielder Andrew Benintendi (left knee sprain) played catch for the first time and has taken some dry swings. … Right-hander Clay Buchholz will start Tuesday at San Diego in place of Steven Wright, who will get a second opinion on his injured pitching shoulder. … Reliever Koji Uehara, on the disabled list since July 20 because of a right pectoral strain, is scheduled to be activated Monday and will be available as soon as Tuesday, Farrell said.
SATURDAY’S LATE GAME
Rick Porcello didn’t allow a baserunner until Jake Smolinski’s one-out double in the sixth on the way to his majors-leading 19th victory, and the Red Sox routed the Athletics, 11-2.
Porcello (19-3) gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings.
David Ortiz hit a two-run double to highlight Boston’s seven-run third.
Yoan Moncada had a run-scoring double in the inning, and Hanley Ramirez added a home run, his fourth in seven games.
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