Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics is looked over by trainer Jeff Collins and manager Mark Kotsay #7 after being hit in the arm with a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the first inning at Sutter Health Park on July 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s played game three of a four-game series against the Red Sox on Wednesday night inside the friendly confines of Sutter Health Park. The A’s had evened the series at a game apiece on Tuesday as they looked to win two in a row against the Red Sox.

The Red Sox took the lead in the series again as they defeated the A’s 4-2 in 10 innings.

Jacob Lopez took the ball for the A’s at 6:41 p.m. as he made his 17th appearance for the A’s this season and his 14th start. Lopez didn’t have a particularly clean outing, but he pitched reasonably well for the A’s as he went five and one-third innings. Lopez allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits while scattering two walks and striking out eight in his outing. It was another strong performance from Lopez, who built on his previous scoreless outing last week in Minnesota.

“I thought Jacob did a good job tonight,” Kotsay said after the game. “Obviously he took us into the sixth inning again, which is a good sign for these young starters just continuing to give us these efforts, getting them deep into their games. Eight strikeouts tonight, which might be a season high for him.”

It indeed was a season high for Lopez, who looks to continue to build on this recent momentum to solidify himself as a big league starter.

Mark Kotsay turned to Hayden Juenger first out of the bullpen in relief of Lopez with one out in the sixth inning. Juenger tossed one and one-third innings in relief, giving up two hits and no runs while striking out one in his outing that saw him get the final two outs in the seventh inning.

With two outs in the seventh, it was Kotsay back to the bullpen as he called on Elvis Alvarado. Alvarado got the final out in the seventh and the first two outs in the eighth while giving up nothing but a walk and striking out two. It was an impressive performance from Alvarado, who has had a very up-and-down season.

Mark Kotsay turned the ball over to Brady Basso with two outs in the eighth inning. Basso finished the eighth and pitched the ninth inning, giving up two hits but no runs during his one and one-third innings of work.

Since the A’s couldn’t get it done in regulation, Mark Kotsay went with José Suarez in the 10th inning. It was a disaster immediately for Suarez, who promptly gave up a two-run home run to the first batter he faced in the inning. Suarez managed to complete the 10th inning, giving up two runs (one earned) on one hit while walking none and striking out none.

On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s couldn’t get much going other than the long ball. Unfortunately for them, both home runs they hit were solo shots. The A’s finished with eight hits and two walks in the game while striking out 14 times against the Red Sox pitching staff.

Jonah Heim got the A’s on the board first and gave them the 1-0 lead in the second inning when he drilled a solo home run to center field. It was Heim’s 500th career hit, 11th home run of the season, and 34th RBI for the switch-hitting catcher. Heim’s home run left the bat at 104.2 mph and landed 418 feet away from home plate as it clanked off the brick building beyond the wall.

The A’s continued their offense by the long ball as they scored their second run of the game on a Lawrence Butler solo home run to center field in the fifth inning. It was Butler’s sixth homer of the year and his 27th RBI as the ball left the bat at 103.4 mph and traveled 422 feet.

That would be all the A’s could muster on offense as they fell 4-2 to the Red Sox in 10 innings.

Nick Kurtz, who left the game after the first inning with a forearm contusion, was evaluated after the game by the A’s staff.

“We’re going to have an MRI done in the morning, so we’ll have a better idea of what exactly is going on,” Mark Kotsay told the media after the game. “The x-rays were kind of unclear right now. So we’re hoping for the best.”

The A’s will take on the Red Sox in the final game of the four-game series on Thursday at 6:40 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. The Red Sox are scheduled to start Sonny Gray (12-2, 2.78 ERA), while Mason Barnett (1-1, 4.74 ERA) will start for the A’s.