by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s slugger Khris Davis (right) hits another one out for the second game in a row, this time against the Texas Rangers pitcher Martin Perez in the sixth Davis is greeted by A’s third base coach Ron Washington (left)

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s beat the Texas Rangers Wednesday by a score of 8-1 and swept the three-game series. Lefty Rich Hill went six innings and just one run on three hits as he won his sixth game of the year. A’s starting pitchers have gone at least six innings in the last three games, and that has allowed A’s manager Bob Melvin to give his overworked bullpen a bit of a rest. Fernando Rodriguez pitched the seventh and eighth and gave up just one hit. Andrew Triggs set the Rangers down in order in the ninth to secure the victory.

The A’s started fast as they scored three times in the first inning.Lefty Martin Perez was on the hill for the Rangers. He retired Coco Crisp for the first out. Billy Burns singled. Josh Reddick walked to put men on at first and second. Burns and Reddick executed a double steal and scored on a single by Danny Valencia. Perez walked Khris Davis to move Valencia into scoring position. Marcus Semien singled to drive in Valencia with the third run of the inning.

The Rangers score a run in the top of the sixth, but Khris Davis homered in the bottom of the frame to give the A’s a 4-1 lead. It was Davis’ fourth home run in the last two games and twelfth of the year. The A’s put the game away in the eighth when they scored four times Reddick, Valencia, Davis, and Semien all were instrumental in the rally. A’s win 8-1

Game Notes- The A’s have now won four in a row and five of the last six.  Also, it was their third straight home win. The A’s now await the only visit of the year by the New York Yankees. The A’s swept the Yanks in New York in April. The Yanks are currently in last place in the AL East.They lost the first two games of the three-game series with the D-Backs, and the A’s will be looking to add to the woes of the Bronx Bombers.

The last time the A’s had two players hit three home runs in a week occurred in 1932. They players that performed that feat are in Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Who were they? None other than Jimmy Foxx and Al Simmons.

Kendall Graveman will handle the pitching for Oakland and Ivan Nova will go for New York.

Time of game was two hours and thirty-two minutes, and 14,423 were on hand to watch.

Game time will be 7:05 PM PT Thursday night at the Coliseum.