By Morris Phillips

In need of some good news, the A’s got some from rookie pitcher Jharel Cotton.

Cotton allowed three hits and a run over seven innings as the A’s broke their eight-game losing streak at home with a 7-1 win over the Rangers.  The rookie pitcher acquired from the Dodgers in the Josh Reddick deal, impressed again, working quickly and efficiently with his fastball and dynamic changeup.

“He’s got a special changeup, something we had not seen,” Rangers’ manager Jeff Bannister said.  “When he’s got that working for him it does present a challenge when it’s the first time these guys have seen him.”

The A’s scored seven times in the second to help Cotton cruise.  The seven runs were one less than the team had scored during the first five games of the home stand, just more adversity for the lowest scoring American League team when playing at home.

But things looked quite different in a hurry on Sunday.   After Bruce Maxwell and Brett Eibner drove in runs, the A’s loaded the bases against Colby Lewis.  Stephen Vogt followed with a bases clearing double, followed by Ryon Healy’s two-run shot that chased Lewis.

The Texas pitcher had won in each of last four appearances at the Coliseum, and was looking to impress Bannister enough to claim a post-season starting spot behind aces Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish.  But the A’s need to erase the burden of a winless home stand, and put an end to their offensive blackout trumped anything Lewis was trying to accomplish.

Maxwell and Healy led the A’s 13-hit attack with three knocks each.  Healy’s breakout afternoon ended a 1 for 16 slide for the rookie third baseman.  Marcus Semien had a pair of hits, a nice change for him as well.  Semien came in hitting just .177 in September.

Cotton needed just 70 pitches to complete seven innings, and the humble pitcher sensed the AL West champions were more concerned about their travel itinerary than the game.

“I feel like it as a Sunday game and they wanted to get away,” Cotton said with a distinct nod to Southwest Airlines.  “I was on the mound like, ‘Thank you.  Just keep swinging.’”

Cotton’s first four big league starts have all lasted at least five innings with the right hander allowing a run or less.  That’s the first time that feat been accomplished by an A’s rookie in more than 100 years.

Adrian Beltre gave Cotton his only blemish, a seventh inning solo shot.  Beltre’s 32^nd home run of the season and 445^th of his career also was his 2,937 hit, moving him past Barry Bonds on the all-time hit list.

The A’s conclude their season with road games in Anaheim and Seattle.  Sean Manaea gets the start Monday against the Angels with Jered Weaver on the mound for the home team.

NOTES: Sonny Gray will come off the disabled list and start Wednesday’s game.  The A’s ace hasn’t pitched in two months due to a forearm strain.