Davis hits two HRs; A’s get best of Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas — Khris Davis homered twice, Ramon Laureano connected on the game’s fourth threerun shot to break a tie in the sixth inning and the Oakland Athletics stayed in front in the AL wild-card race with a 14-9 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.

The A’s (88-60) won their fourth straight, a streak that started with three victories in Houston following a 15-0 loss to the AL West-leading Astros.

Oakland started the day a half-game ahead of Tampa Bay, which was playing at the Los Angeles Angels. Cleveland, rained out at home against Minnesota, is 1½ games behind the A’s.

Davis had one of the threerun homers, an opposite-field drive to right in the third after a solo shot into the Oakland bullpen in left-center in the second.

The 21st and 22nd long balls of the season for Davis put him within one of Jason Giambi’s record 20 homers for opposing players at Globe Life Park, the hitter-friendly home of the Rangers that’s being replaced next year by a retractable-roof stadium across the street.

Laureano’s 22nd homer well over the 14-foot fence down the line in left came against rookie reliever Ian Gibaut (1-1) after Texas manager Chris Woodward ordered an intentional walk of leadoff hitter Marcus Semien on a 3-0 count with an open base in a 7-7 game.

Both of the three-run shots from Texas put the Rangers ahead.

Shin-Soo Choo’s opposite-field drive to left made it 4-3 in the second, and Danny Santana answered Davis’ second homer with his 25th of the season into the home run porch in right for a 7-6 lead in the third.