Photo credit: sfchronicle.com

By Matthew Harrington

The Oakland A’s found themselves a game over .500 once again after beating the Texas Rangers 5-3 in Arlington Friday night. Marcus Semien went 4 for 5 with two homeruns, including the game-winning two-run shot in the ninth and Blake Treinen wriggled out of a bases loaded one-out rally in the ninth to preserve the win for Yusmeiro Petit. Petit (1-1) also escaped a bases loaded jam in the seventh.

The A’s were trailing 3-2 entering the seventh inning, but Semien stepped up with one out and runners on first and third, singling home Mark Canha off Shelby Miller to tie the game. He knocked in his third and fourth runs of the game, launching a Jose Leclerc (1-2) offering over the wall in right for a two-run blast in the top of the 9th and a 5-3 A’s lead.

Treinen entered the bottom of the inning looking to nail down the game. He got a fly out of Rougned Odor but pinch-hitter Ronald Guzman singled and Delino DeShields and Logan Forsythe walked to load the bases. Treinen coaxed a 5-4-3 double play out of Elvis Andrus to end the game and notch his 13th save.

Oakland led 2-0 by the fifth inning after a Matt Olson RBI single and Marcus Semien’s first homer of the game, his eighth of the season, both of Texas starter Lance Lynn. A’s starter Brett Anderson was cruising through five, giving up no runs, but the 6th inning proved his downfall. Elvis Andrus hit an RBI triple, Nomar Mazara grounded out but plated a run and Hunter Pence blasted his 13th longball of the season to give the Rangers a 3-2 edge late in the game, a lead Semien would single-handedly erase.

The A’s and Rangers, separated by one game in the standings, will play two Saturday. Paul Blackburn draws the game one assignment for the Green and Gold, while Chris Bassitt gets game two. Joe Palumbo and Adrian Sampson get the ball for Texas.