by Jerry Feitelberg

SB Nation/Getty photo: Texas Rangers Robinson Chirinos is congraulated after going deep in the seventh off A’s pitcher John Axford on Wednesday night at the Oakland Coliseum

OAKLAND–The Texas Rangers, in first place in the AL West, overcame a five-run deficit Wednesday night to defeat the A’s 7-5. The A’s Sonny Gray was the Sonny Gray of old for the first five innings of the game.He had excellent velocity on his fastball, and his location was outstanding as he kept the Rangers scoreless and allowed them just five hits. The A’s, in the meantime, scored three in the third and two in the fourth to give Sonny some run support. However, in the fateful sixth, The Rangers pounced on Sonny as they scored five times to tie the game. The Rangers scored solo runs in the seventh and eighth, and their bullpen was successful in closing out the game. The game summary follows below.

The A’s scored three times in the third inning. Marcus Semien led off with a single. Jake Smolinski, playing right field, hit his third home run of the season to get the A’s going.  With one out, Billy Burns doubled and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Ranger pitcher Derek Holland. With the infield drawn in, Danny Valencia singled past a diving Elvis Andrus to drive in the third run of the frame.

The A’s added two more runs in the fourth inning. Ranger starter Derek Holland walked Josh Phegley and Jake Smolinski to put men on at first and second. Holland retired two batters; he had thrown ninety-two pitches. Jeff Banister decided that it was time for a change and brought in Nick Martinez to pitch. Martinez, just up from Triple-A, was greeted by a double off the bat of Billy Burns. Phegley scored, and when the ball was misplayed by Ian Desmond in center field, Smolinski was able to score from first. Holland went just three and two-thirds innings and allowed five runs, four earned, and just four hits. A’s lead 5-0 after four.

The Rangers rallied to score five runs in the top of the sixth. Sonny Gray had been very effective for the first five innings of the game. He had allowed no runs and the Rangers managed just three hits. The sixth was a different story as the Rangers offense erupted to score five times and Gray was touched for five hits. Robinson Chirinos hit a solo homer. Back-to back-doubles produced another run. Prince Fielder drove in the third run with a sac fly. Jurickson Profar singled, and he trotted home when Rougned Odor blasted an opposite-field homer to tie the game.Gray finished the inning, but he was done for the night as John Axford was brought in to start the seventh. Gray will not receive a decision and his line for the night was six innings pitched, and he allowed five runs on eight hits including two home runs and two doubles.

In the top of the seventh, with one out and John Axford on the mound, the noted Oakland A’s slayer, Robinson Chirinos put the Rangers in the lead with his second solo homer of the game.Chirinos has hit three dingers in the series and has a total of four for the season.Bob Melvin brought in Sean Doolittle to pitch to the left-handed hitter, Nomar Mazara and Doolittle did his job striking him out to end the inning, but the A’s now trail Texas 6-5. The Rangers’ Rougned Odor hit a solo homer in the eighth off Sean Doolittle to give the Rangers a two-run cushion as the game heads into the A’s half of the eighth. The Rangers bullpen shut down the A’s in the eighth and ninth to secure the win for Texas.

Game Notes- The A’s have scored twenty-five runs so far in the series but have just one win and two losses to show for their effort. The A’s are 27-38 for the season and are in last place in the division and own the second-worst record in the  American League. The Rangers are 41-25 and have won four of five, 10 of 13 and 16 of their last 21 games.

After the game , A’s manager Bob Melvin said that he was “pretty shocked” when things went south in the sixth. Melvin added that he “saw (Gray) pitch shutouts with the stuff he had tonight.” He said Sonny had “great stuff, great movement in the first five innings.” He said that Gray was “incrementally better since coming off the DL and it was a little bit startling that he lost it. Melvin said that he had to give Texas credit as they took good swings against our best guys. The Rangers tagged Gray, Axford, and Doolittle for four home runs in the contest.

The A’s finish the four-game series with the Rangers Thursday afternoon at 12:35 pm. Rookie pitcher Daniel Mengden will make his second start of the season, and he will be opposed by the veteran righty Colby Lewis.

Time of game was three hours and eight minutes, and 10,115 faithful watched the A’s go down to defeat.