by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Texas Rangers Adrian Beltre takes Oakland A’s starter Ross Detwiler deep for a grand slam in the fifth inning as A’s catcher Stephen Vogt looks on Monday night at the Ball Park in Arlington

Arlington, Texas -The Oakland A’s began a six-game road trip with a loss to the Texas Rangers Monday night in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers, behind a strong effort by lefty Martin Perez, beat the A’s 5-2. The A’s have now lost four of the last five and are fifteen games under .500 for the year  Ross Detwiler, another lefty, started for the A’s and he absorbed his first loss of the year. Detwiler, released by the Rangers last year, was hoping to repeat his performance when he beat the Baltimore Orioles last week. That, however, did not happen, and Detwiler pitched just 4 and 2/3rds innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits. The Rangers’ third baseman, Adrian Beltre, hit a grand slam to put the Rangers ahead 5-2 in the fifth.

The A’s scored one in the first and one in the second when A’s rookie third baseman, Ryon Healy, hit his sixth tater of the year. The Rangers scored one in the fourth and then Beltre’s big blast in the fifth that propelled the Rangers to victory. Beltre has 432 career dingers and ten grand salamis. Without a doubt, he is on his way to Cooperstown.

Game Notes- The Rangers won their 70th game of the year are lead the AL West bu at least 5.5 games over the Seattle Mariners.The Rangers added catcher Jonathan Lucroy from Milwaukee and Carlos Beltran from New York as they want to win home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The A’s, on the other hand, went with a youth movement. Jake Smolinski was in center, Brett Eibner was in right, Ryon Healy at third and Tyler Ladendorf played second. Ladendorf made a sensational leaping catch to rob Rougned Odor of an extra-base hit in the fourth inning. Liam Hendriks, John Axford, and Marc Rzepczynski allowed just three hits and no runs and kept the A’s in the game. The A’s, however, could not solve Perez, Matt Bush or Sam Dyson. Bush earned a hold and Dyson recorded his twenty-seventh save of the season.

Detwiler hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch in the fifth. Choo suffered a broken forearm and probably will not play again this season.Choo will be making his fourth trip to the DL this year after just playing in forty-five games. Nomar Mazara will replace him in left field.

The A’s announced that Jed Lowrie would have season-ending surgery to remove a bunion.

Game two of the three-game series will be played Tuesday night at GlobeLife Stadium. Andrew Triggs will start for Oakland, and Lucas Harrell will be on the mound for Texas.