OAKLAND, Calif. (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — It took a while but the Texas Rangers finally showed up Thursday night. Adolis García doubled in pinch-runner Eli White in the top of the ninth inning, Nathaniel Lowe followed with a two-run homer, and the Rangers beat Oakland 4-1.
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.
“We got it done in the ninth,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “This place is a tough place to score runs but I loved the at-bats that Adolis had. Glad we got it done in the end.”
Chad Pinder had two hits for the Athletics. 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, García lashed a sharp double into the left field corner.
“He’s been really good but I was just kind of trying to make contact,” García said through an interpreter. “I saw the pitch I was looking for, made good contact on it.”
Lowe, who was in a 10-for-78 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.
“I was throwing how I’ve been throwing,” Pérez said. “I was able to keep the game tight. My team, they picked me up in the ninth inning, so that was great for me.”
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. Bethancourt bunted down the first base line and went to second when Pérez’s flip throw to first baseman Lowe sailed down the line. Umpires quickly made the out call and A’s manager Mark Kotsay came out to argue. Andrus, the next batter, doubled.
“Umpire, in his opinion, (said) Bethancourt did not have both feet in the box running down to first base,” Kotsay said. “The argument for me was more about the play itself and the throw. It was so far up the line or in foul territory that the throw was uncatchable, in my opinion.”
The Rangers benefited from the call but Woodward isn’t a fan of the rule.
“It was a good play by Bethancourt, the bunt,” Woodward said. “I know the rule but I don’t love it.”
