OAKLAND -- The Red Sox' eight-game winning streak was stopped dead in its tracks Saturday night as they were no-hit by Oakland A's lefty Sean Manaea, 3-0.
The no-hitter was the first against the Red Sox since Seattle's Chris Bosio accomplished the feat April 22, 1993 -- one day shy of 25 years ago. The Sox had collected 10 or hits or more in each of their previous seven games.
The no-hitter was tinged with some controversy. Andrew Benintendi appeared to have ended the bid in the sixth when he beat out a chopper down the first base line. But after the umpiring crew conferred on the field, it was determined that Benintendi had run out of the baseline to elude a tag and was ruled out.
An inning earlier, Sandy Leon hit a pop-up to shallow center than shortstop Marcus Semien gloved, then dropped. he was charged with an error on a call that could have gone either way.
Chris Sale, who allowed three runs on six hits while striking out 10, took the loss. Semien scored all three Oakland runs, including a fifth inning solo homer.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Oakland A's
WHEN: 9:05 p.m.
WHERE: Oakland Coliseum
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won their last eight in a row and 17-of-18, compiling the best record in the game. They lead baseball in winning percentage, run differential, runs per game and fielding percentage and are second in ERA. The A's saw their own modest (four games) winning streak snapped by the Red Sox Friday night. The A's had a 3-0 lead in the first, then watched the Red Sox score seven unanswered runs.
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (1-0, 1.23) vs. LHP Sean Manaea (2-2, 1.63)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI FM 93.7
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS
11:05 Manaea has 10 strikeouts through eight innings. Very few balls hit hard off him and just four balls hit into the outfield all game.
10:57 Sean Manaea has thrown 84 pitches through seven innings, so pitch count -- while a bit higher than optimum -- won't be a factor with two innings to go.
10:40 The call on Benintendi was a tough one. In trying to avoid the tag, he may have stepped out of the baseline, but it was pretty close. Umpires get together, and without replay, determine that he was out.
10:26 The homer by Marcus Semien didn't come off a bad pitch from Sale, who got a fastball on the inner half -- but evidently not in far enough. Semien was able to extend his arms enough to hit it out deep to left, giving the A's a 3-0 lead.
9:55 It doesn't happen often, but it seemed as though Mookie Betts took a bad angle to that ball. Stephen Piscotty lined a ball to the gap in right-center, and Betts seemed confused initially as to whether he should go back on the ball or range over toward center. The ball got by him to the wall and resulted in the A's scoring their second run.
9:46 A's lefty Sean Manaea, deftly mixing fastballs, sliders and the occasional changeup, has kept the Sox off-balance for the first three innings. After issuing a leadoff walk to Mookie Betts to start the game, Manaea has retired nine straight, including five by strikeouts
9:24 A little surprising stat: Red Sox catchers haven't thrown out a single baserunner this season. Sure, it's an admittedly small sample size (opponents are 9-for-9), but given that both Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon have plus throwing arms, still unexpected.
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts RF
Benintendi LF
Ramirez 1B
Martinez DH
Nunez 2B
Devers 3B
Leon C
Bradley CF
Lin SS
A's
Semien SS
Piscotty RF
Lowrie 2B
Davis DH
Chapman 3B
Olson 1B
Canha CF
Pinder LF
Lucroy C
NEWS AND NOTES
- Xander Bogaerts ran the bases Saturday afternoon and showed progress as he comes back from a left ankle injury. When the Sox go Toronto Tuesday for the final stop on this three-city road trip, Bogaerts will report to Pawtucket and begin a two-day rehab assignment. If everything goes according to plan, he'll be activated for the start of the homestand Friday. "Talking to him, he feels good running,'' said Alex Cora. "Defensively, the thing that worries him is changing direction, going full blast in or turning a double play. He needs the repetitions, more defensively than (at the plate).''
- The Boston bullpen took a scoreless streak of 19.1 innings into Saturday's game, with just one run allowed in the last 25.1 innings. "It's ironic because of what happened in the first game (of the season),'' said Cora, a reference to the Opening Day, eighth-inning bullpen meltdown that saw Boston relievers allow six runs and blow a 4-0 lead. "But I guess they got the bad one out of the way. They've been outstanding. Match-up wise, they're all a little different. The only thing similar about them is that they're all getting outs. They're doing it different ways, but in end, they're doing the job.''
- Cora communicated with Steven Wright Saturday. Wright left Friday's rehab start for Pawtucket because of a sore back. "He didn't feel right the whole time,'' said Cora. "Most likely, we'll keep him in Pawtucket and he'll get better and make his next (start). But if not, we'll see him Friday at home if he doesn't get any better.''
- Tyler Thornburg will likely throw a live batting practice session either Friday or Saturday when the Sox return home.
- LHP Chris Sale will pitch Thursday in Toronto, with LHP Drew Pomeranz will be pushed back one day to start Friday, giving him an additional recovery day after his first start of the season. "One more day will be good for him,'' said Cora.