Isiah Kiner-Falefa (9) of the Texas Rangers celebrates heading towards the Rangers dugout after hitting a solo home run in the second inning at Globe Life Ballpark in Arlington looking on umpire Lance Barrett (left) and A’s catcher Sean Murphy (right) (photo from sfgate.com)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s started a ten-game rod trip on a sour note. The A’s, winners of four of the last five and eight of the previous eleven, faced the Texas Rangers’ ace, Lance Lynn Monday night, and Lynn did his job allowing five hits and two runs in six and two thirds innings of work. The Rangers won 3-2.

The Rangers snapped an eight-game losing streak Monday night. They limped home after losing two to San Diego and three to the Mariners in Seattle. The A’s always want to get off to a good start on the road by winning the first game.

Alas, that did not happen. Watching the A’s play, the last eight games reminded me of the 2010 San Francisco Giants. That year the Giants won the World Series, but watching the games was “torture.”

The A’s have won, but they have not been able to get their offense going. The A’s had eight hits in the game. They had two hits in the first and two in the ninth. The A’s had three hits in the first two innings and then just three more hits until the ninth.

The A’s drew first blood in the top of the first inning. With two out, A’s DH, Mark Canha, singled to drive in Ramon Laureano to go ahead 1-0. The Rangers plated two in their half of the first to take a 2-1 lead.

A’s right fielder, Stephen Piscotty, led off the second with a 416-foot solo home run to tie the game. The Rangers took the lead for good when Isiah Kiner-Falefa homered to make it 3-2.

The A’s loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Rangers’ closer Rafael Montero struck out Matt Olson looking for the second out of the inning. He then retired Matt Chapman on a fly ball to right to end the game.

Game Notes- With the loss, the A’s are 20-10 for the season. The Rangers improved to 11-17. A’s starter Jesus Luzardo, after giving up three runs in the first two innings, settled down and pitched into the seventh.

His line was six, and 2/3rds innings pitched, three runs and seven hits. Luzardo is now 2-1. The Rangers Lance Lynn’s line was six innings pitched, two runs, five hits, and eight strikeouts. Lynn is now 4-0, and he owns a sparkling ERA of 1.59.

The A’s struck out 13 times Monday night. Matt Olson and Matt Chapman each struck out three times. Khris Davis, mired in an early-season slump, pinch-hit for Sean Murphy in the ninth. Davis, who has 31 home runs against the Rangers in his career, flew out to right for the first out of the inning.

Sean Manaea (1-2, 6.39) will pitch for Oakland Tuesday night. Kyle Gibson (1-1, 4.73 ERA) will be on the hill for Texas. The game will start at 5:05 pm.