The Rangers dealt Ryan Madson and the A’s more ninth-inning heartache in Arlington.
The A’s entered the bottom of the ninth with a one-run lead, only to see Jonathan Lucroy’s two-run single lift Texas to a 7-6 walk-off win at Globe Life Park.
Madson gave up Carlos Beltran’s one-out double, then a wild pitch moved Beltran to third and Adrian Beltre walked. Pinch runner Joey Gallo stole second to move the winning run in scoring position, and Lucroy’s single down the left field line scored the tying and winning runs.
Back on July 25, Beltre delivered a walk-off homer off Madson. On the A’s last trip to Texas, the A’s intentionally walked Beltre to load the bases and Marc Rzepczynski hit the next batter to force in the winning run.
The A’s, riding a four-game winning streak, jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the sixth inning Friday but saw the Rangers chip away against the A’s bullpen and take the opener of this three -game series. Madson has 30 saves for the A’s but has blown seven chances.
Khris Davis did his normal damage against the Texas Rangers, connecting for his 38th homer that gave the A’s an early 2-0 lead.
Starting pitching report
Manager Bob Melvin went with a quick hook on starter Kendall Graveman, pulling the right-hander with one out and two on in the sixth, when Graveman was at just 81 pitches. With runners on the corners, Sean Doolittle entered to face the left-handed hitting Mitch Moreland, whose RBI single closed the Rangers’ deficit to 6-4. Graveman was charged with four runs over 5 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
Bullpen report
Ryan Dull gave up Carlos Gomez’s homer to close the A’s lead to 6-5.
At the plate
Brett Eibner drilled a three-run homer for the A’s as part of a career-high four RBI night. His blast to left in the sixth opened up a 6-2 lead for Oakland. Earlier in the game, it was Davis who got things going with a two-run shot to the opposite field off Cole Hamels. It was Davis’ eighth homer, to go with 21 RBI, in 13 games against Texas this season.
In the field
The Rangers closed the gap with two runs in the fifth, a rally aided by Nomar Mazara’s single that shot under the sglove of first baseman Danny Valencia on his backhand side. The A’s caught a break in the third after Texas loaded the bases with one out. Ian Desmond grounded into a force play at second, and it turned into a double play when Carlos Gomez was ruled out for runner’s interference on his slide into second baseman Joey Wendle.
Wendle came up with a big play in the eighth. Marcus Semien’s fielding error loaded the bases with two outs, but Wendle made a great stop on Gomez’s hard smash to the right side, throwing to first and keeping the A’s in front 6-5.
Attendance
30,486
Up next
Raul Alcantara (0-1, 7.27) rebounded nicely in his second career start, throwing 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball against Seattle. He’ll oppose Yu Darvish (5-4, 3.28) in Saturday’s 5:05 p.m. game.
