by Jerry Feitelberg

Just when you think things can’t get any worse for the A’s, they do. The downward spiral continues as they waste a tremendous pitching performance from Jeff Samardzija and lose to the Texas Rangers 6-1.

Samardizija and Rangers’ starter Derek Holland hooked up in a old-fashioned pitcher’s duel. Both pitchers were in total control until the A’s took the lead in the bottom of the fifth. The A’s could have broken the game wide open in the bottom of the eighth when they had the bases loaded with no out but they failed to score. In the top of the ninth, the Rangers sent twelve men to the plate and scored six times with the key blow off the bat of J.P.Arencibia. This loss has to be one of the toughest to take all year. If the slide continues, the A’s may miss the playoffs entirely. I hope the players do not lose their confidence but the have to be thinking “what’s going to go wrong today?’

The A’s scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Former Ranger Geovany Soto doubled with one out. Second baseman Nick Punto reached on an infield single and Soto advanced to third on the play. Coco Crisp struck out but right fielder Sam Fuld, the only left handed hitter in the lineup, singled to right to drive in Soto. After five complete, the A’s are ahead 1-0.

Jeff Samardzija kept Texas scoreless through eight innings of work. He was brilliant allowing just four hits and struck out ten. The A’s had a chance to break the game open in the bottom of the eighth as they loaded the bases with no out but no one could come through with a clutch hit and they failed to score.

The A’s brought in their closer, Sean Doolittle, to finish off the Rangers but everything that could go, went wrong. Doolittle retired the first batter but then the roof caved in. Elvis Andrus singled and then scored on a double by Rougned Odor. The A’s walked Adrian Beltre but that move failed a J.P.Arenciabia, hitting about .169, slammed a three run homer to give them a 4-1 lead. The Rangers didn’t stop there as they scored two more times sending twelve men to the plate in the ninth inning.

The A’s went down meekly in the bottom of the ninth and took the loss.

Game notes- With the loss the A’s are now tied with the Kansas City Royals for the first Wild Card slot

In addition, the loss gave the AL West division crown to the Los Angeles Angels. The A’s and Royals

are two games ahead of the Mariners for the Wild Card slots.

The A’s have lost five of the last seven games and are 5-14 since August 28th and are 17-38 in their last 55 games. A’s manager Bob Melvin said the A’s have to regroup and hope to get it going again on Thursday.

Jeff Samardzija has thrown 16 consecutive scoreless innings, which is a career high. He also struck out 10 batters for the eighth time in his career and three times this year with the A’s.

The A’s finish the series with Texas Thursday afternoon at 12:30pm. Sonny Gray will try to right the ship for the A’s as he goes for his 14th win of the year and his opponent will be Nick Martinez.