Rangers tally 3 in 9th off A’s bullpen
OAKLAND » Adolis García doubled in pinch-runner Eli White in the top of the ninth inning, Nathaniel Lowe followed with a tworun homer, and the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Thursday night.
García and Kole Calhoun each had two hits as the Rangers won their second straight after dropping three in a row on their 10-game road trip. Texas also scored a run on a bases-loaded walk by Andy Ibañez.
Chad Pinder had two hits for Oakland. The A’s have lost 12 of their last 14 at home.
The Rangers scored late off the A’s bullpen after starters Martín Pérez and Frankie Montas kept both offenses in check.
Jonah Heim began the winning rally off Lou Trivino (1-3) with a single up the middle just past the glove of diving second baseman Sheldon Neuse. After White replaced Heim, Garcia lashed a sharp double
into the left field corner. Lowe, who was in a 10-for78 funk (.128), then hit his third home run of the season.
Pérez pitched seven strong innings of four-hit ball but left with no decision in his 200th career start.
Pérez’s streak of 25 consecutive scoreless innings on the road ended in the fourth on a changeup that bounced underneath the glove of catcher Heim, allowing Pinder to score from third. Pinder singled leading off the inning and went to third on Sean Murphy’s double.
Montas had 11 strikeouts in seven strong innings. He allowed three hits and an unearned run, which came after a fielding error by shortstop Elvis Andrus.
Matt Bush (2-1) retired three batters to win. Joe Barlow worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his eighth save.
The A’s missed an opportunity in the seventh when leadoff hitter Christian Bethancourt was ruled out for interference.