ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ Khris Davis leads the majors in home runs, but he isn't just your average masher who pads the stats with long shots when game is out of hand. When he hits them, they usually mean something of significance.
The A's were stymied by Rays pitchers for five innings and failed to record a hit past the fourth, but one swing of the bat from Davis changed their fortunes in Friday's 2-1 victory over the Rays.
Davis' 42nd homer of the season off Rays reliever Jaime Schultz broke a 1-1 tie in the 10th, something a good portion of his homers have done this season. It was his 18th go-ahead home run of the season, tying Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt for most in the majors.
Edwin Jackson got out of a couple of jams to turn in a solid outing.
After surrendering a game-tying RBI single to former Athletic Joey Wendle in the fourth, Jackson picked him off at first shortly after to limit the damage. He got some help from Jonathan Lucroy in the fifth when the catcher nabbed Kevin Kiermaier trying to steal second. It was Lucroy's second runner thrown out of the game and majors-leading 25th of the season.
Shawn Kelley got out of a self-created bases-loaded jam in the sixth and was the first of four relievers who followed Jackson to keep the Rays scoreless the rest of the way, including closer Blake Treinen, who pitched the ninth and 10th to earn his seventh win of the season.
