A’s 9, Rangers 8:
Long weekend in Texas ends as Oakland prevails to split series.
ARLINGTON, Texas — After spending nearly every waking minute at toasty Globe Life Park over the weekend, the weary A’s finally departed, tested at every turn by a resurgent Texas team.
First, they had to wait through a 1-hour, 5-minute rain delay Sunday before taking a big early lead and then holding on for dear life in a 9-8 victory over the Rangers. The result meant a split of the four-game series as the A’s got back to the .500 mark and moved to two games behind Texas for second place in the AL West.
The end of the game didn’t mean the A’s could escape Texas right away. The high winds during Sunday’s thunderstorm blew the mobile airplane stairs into the team’s plane, damaging one of its wings. A’s director of team travel Mickey Morabito told The Chronicle that he had to call around to find another aircraft, resulting in the A’s being stuck in the Texas clubhouse for an additional 3½ hours.
“Some long days, a doubleheader, we got in late that first day,” A’s designated hitter Khris Davis said. “Luckily, we like being around each other . ... It’s our job to play baseball. We can’t complain.”
The Rangers scored three runs in the eighth — one on Rougned Odor’s straight steal of home off lefty Ryan Buchter — and had the potential tying run at the plate in the inning. They then had runners at the corners with one out in the ninth against closer Blake Treinen, who gave up a two-out RBI single by Asdrubal Cabrera. Another run scored on a passed ball before Treinen got Ronald Guzman to fly out.
“At the end of the day, we’re 2-2, and after losing a doubleheader, we’ll take a win any way we can get it,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Obviously, it wasn’t the way we wanted to . ... Thank goodness we got the last out before they got another run.”
In dropping a doubleheader the previous day, Oakland had issues pitching in the first game and swinging the bat the second. On Sunday, the team did both well until the late innings: Starter Frankie Montas (8-2) matched his career high with 10 strikeouts, and the A’s got tworun homers from Matt Olson and Davis, and a two-run double by Marcus Semien.
Davis’ homer, which came off Drew Smyly with two outs in the third, was his first since May 13, and it was no surprise he ended a little power drought by going deep at Texas. He has hit 17 career homers in 33 games at Globe Life Park, and he’s batting .283 with 30 homers and 71 RBIs against the Rangers overall after adding a two-out RBI single in the ninth.
“It comes and goes,” Davis said of his power stroke. “I’ve just got to stay within myself and weather the storm of the season. It just felt good to help the team out ... one time.”
“The homer’s big, especially with the wind coming in from left,” Melvin said. “That’s a good sign for him, and obviously a huge hit in the ninth to give us a three-run lead.”
The A’s pinned five runs on Smyly, who was nailed on the back of his foot by Stephen Piscotty’s liner in the second. Olson then followed with his homer to right-center. Chad Pinder and Ramón Laureano added singles and catcher Josh Phegley a sacrifice fly in the inning.
After Davis’ homer, Oakland added three in the fourth off Shelby Miller when Laureano singled, Phegley walked and Semien doubled them home. Semien scored on a sacrifice fly by Mark Canha.
Laureano extended his onbase streak to 28 games, the longest active streak in the majors; he’s batting .318 in that span.
Montas, who has allowed no more than three runs in 12 of his 13 starts, gave up two runs on a single by Odor in the fourth. In the sixth, Montas gave up a solo homer to Cabrera, just the second homer Montas has allowed in his past 10 starts.
“I like our chances when he’s pitching,” Davis said. “Shoot, I’ll take Frankie any day.”
Oakland made two errors Sunday and six in the series, but Piscotty made an excellent sliding catch in the corner in right in the first inning to rob Danny Santana of an extra-base hit.
The A’s will call up righthander Tanner Anderson, who has a 6.26 ERA at Triple-A Las Vegas, to start Monday at Tampa Bay.
His catcher will be familiar: Beau Taylor, recalled Saturday when catcher Nick Hundley went on the injured list with back spasms, will start behind the plate. Hundley was sent back to the Bay Area to see team doctors.
Melvin gave Phegley the option of the day off Sunday after catching 13 innings Saturday in the heat, but Phegley declined and he drove in one run and scored two.