OAKLAND -- Though games like this haven¡¯t happened often to Jurickson Profar, he knew how to conduct himself afterward.

Profar¡¯s sixth-inning throwing error abetted a Boston rally that tied the score and put the Red Sox in position to win, 6-3, ending the A¡¯s four-game winning streak on Wednesday night at the Coliseum.

Profar has a reputation as a sure-handed middle infielder, which was why it was stunning to see the A¡¯s second baseman field Rafael Devers¡¯ sixth-inning grounder and air-mail his intended relay to shortstop Marcus Semien into short left field. At the very least, a clean relay would have erased Mookie Betts, the lead runner. It might even have generated an inning-ending double play, preserving Oakland¡¯s two-run lead.

Instead, the inning unraveled. Betts reached third, and A¡¯s starter Marco Estrada walked J.D. Martinez to load the bases. In came left-hander Ryan Buchter, who yielded Mitch Moreland's two-run double into the right-field corner.

That was all the scoring until Boston clinched matters with a three-run ninth. Two of the runs scored on Betts¡¯ grounder that struck third base and caromed into left field for a two-out double. The A¡¯s watched in frustration as third baseman Matt Chapman, who turned in another impressive defensive effort, stood helplessly behind the bag, waiting to make a play that ill luck denied him.

In Profar¡¯s mind, he already had ruined the A¡¯s evening. He offered no excuses.

¡°I didn¡¯t have a good grip on the ball,¡± he said. ¡°I had more time to grab the ball good and make a good throw, and we turn the double play and have a good chance to win the game.¡±

Estrada absolved Profar from blame, pointing out that he shouldn¡¯t have walked Martinez.

¡°I didn¡¯t pick my guy up,¡± Estrada said. ¡°I was upset about that. Immediately when stuff like that happens, I put in my head, ¡®Hey, let¡¯s pick him up, make better pitches and get the guy out,¡¯ and I didn¡¯t do that.¡±

Meanwhile, Profar has reason to be concerned about more than just his defense. Once ballyhooed as baseball¡¯s No. 1 prospect for his rich variety of skills, Profar owns a .139 batting average. By contrast, the switch-hitter batted .254 in 146 games with Texas last year.

¡°It¡¯s baseball. I know I¡¯ve got it,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m just going to keep working and I know I¡¯m going to get back on track.¡±

Profar probably wouldn¡¯t mind following the example set by Ramón Laureano, who entered the game batting .148 before bashing a two-run, fourth-inning homer off Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi. Of the 34 runs the A¡¯s have scored this season, 21 have resulted from homers. The A¡¯s have homered at least once in all seven games of their homestand, which ends with Thursday¡¯s matinee against the Red Sox.

That homer helped the A¡¯s cruise to a 3-0 lead through four innings. Then Boston¡¯s Blake Swihart homered in the fifth, interrupting the Oakland staff¡¯s 25-inning scoreless streak, the A¡¯s longest such streak since May 31-June 2, 2006.