Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Mark Canha, Josh Reddick and Brett Lawrie
each drove in two runs during a seven-run eighth as the Oakland Athletics
rallied past the Texas Rangers 7-5 on Friday.
Oakland nearly stole a win on Thursday against the Los Angeles Angels, but a
furious rally fell short thanks to a tremendous game-saving catch from Mike
Trout in the A’s 6-5 loss.
Trailing 5-0, Canha started the eighth with a solo homer off Shawn Tolleson.
Eric Sogard singled and Marcus Semien walked before Stephen Vogt hit an RBI
single to right. After Billy Butler struck out looking for the second out,
Roman Mendez (0-1) came in from the bullpen.
Pinch-hitter Max Muncy walked to load the bases for Reddick, who hit a two-run
single to center. Closer Neftali Feliz took over on the mound and immediately
gave up a two-run double to Lawrie. Canha capped the comeback with an RBI
single.
Oakland starter Scott Kazmir gave up three runs on six hits with six
strikeouts over six innings. Dan Otero (2-1) recorded the final out in the
seventh, Evan Scribner tossed a scoreless eighth and Tyler Clippard pitched a
perfect ninth for his second save.
“(Kazmir) kept us in the game like he always does,” said A’s manager Bob
Melvin. “And we were able to reward him by not getting the loss.”
Prince Fielder and Kyle Blanks hit solo homers for the Rangers, who have lost
four in a row. Colby Lewis walked away with a no-decision despite striking out
eight over six scoreless innings.
“In baseball things happen … a lot of things happen, but in that situation
we should be winning,” said Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo.
Blanks led off the second with a homer to left.
Texas tacked on two more runs in the fourth. Fielder led off with a blast over
the wall in center. Adrian Beltre singled, Choo doubled and Robinson Chirinos
was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Jake Smolinski’s sacrifice
fly made it 3-0.
The Rangers scored two more runs in the seventh. Rougned Odor tripled off
Fernando Abad and crossed the plate on Leonys Martin’s sacrifice fly. Fielder
doubled and scored when Beltre singled off Otero. Blanks grounded out to end
the inning.
Game Notes
Feliz suffered his second blown save of the season … The Rangers went 1-
for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven.
