The Oakland A’s Ramon Luareano scores on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning for a 2-1 A’s lead at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington on Wednesday night against the Texas Rangers (photo from sports.yahoo.com)

By Jerry Feitelberg

As people know, baseball is a strange game. One night the ball is flying out of the park. The next night, hits are hard to come by. On Wednesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, the A’s struggled to put runs on the board.

The Rangers’ young lefty, Kolby Allard, did not allow a hit for the game’s first five innings. Somehow, in the top of the sixth, the A’s put two runs on the board with just one hit. The A’s starter, Mike Fiers, also pitched well. Fiers went six innings and allowed three hits and one run, which was unearned. The A’s added a run in the eight to win 3-1.

The Rangers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third. With one out Shin-Shoo Choo singled. Fiers walked Rangers’ first baseman Danny Santana to put men on at first and second. The Rangers attempted a double steal. A’s catcher Sean Murphy’s throw to second sailed in centerfield, allowing Choo to score. The Rangers lead 3-1 after three.

Allard, who had been fantastic for the first five innings, lost his mojo in the top of the sixth. With one out, Allard walked Marcus Semien and Ramon Laureano. Stephen Piscotty, hitting third, singled to drive in Semien to tie the game.

Allard Walked Mark Canha to load the bases. Rangers’ manager Chris Woodward, brought in Luis Garcia to pitch. With Matt Olson at the plate, Garcia uncorked a wild pitch. Laureano scored to give the A’s the lead 2-1. It was a strange inning. It featured four walks, a single, and a wild pitch.

The A’s added an insurance run in the top of the eighth. Three straight singles by Piscotty, Canha, and Olson loaded the bases with no out. Rangers’ reliever Jonathan Hernandez hit Robbie Grossman with a pitch to drive in Piscotty.

Joakim Soria, Jake Diekman, and Liam Hendriks each pitched an inning. The relievers did not allow a hit as the A’s won 3-1

Game Notes- With the win, the A’s are now 22-10 for the year. They lead the second-place Houston Astros by four and 1/2 games in the race for the AL West division crown. The Rangers are now 11-19.

Liam Hendriks recorded his tenth save of the year. Fiers improved to 4-1.
The game featured a lot of strikeouts and walks. Neither team hit a home run. The A’s hitters struck out eleven times and received six walks. The A’s pitchers struck out twelve and issued three walks.

Khris Davis continues to struggle at the plate. Davis has not regained the form that he had in his first three seasons with Oakland. The slugger is hitting just .158 for the year. Ramon Laureano’s woes continue.

Laureano’s average dropped to .208. Matt Chapman almost had the night off. Chappie, who struck out three times in each of the first two games with the Rangers, was on the bench Wednesday night.

Chappie escaped a severe injury Tuesday night when he was hit with a pitch. As Chappie turned to get away from the pitch, the ball hit his batting helmet bill. A’s manager Bob Melvin inserted him into the game in the ninth as a defensive replacement. Chappie made a great defensive play to end the game. He made a bare-handed stab of a slow roller and his throw to first retired Nick Solak for the final out.

The A’s line was three runs, five hits, and one error. The Rangers’ line was one run, three hits, and their defense committed three errors.

The A’s and Rangers meet Thursday again at Globe Life Field. The game will start at 3:37 pm. Chris Bassitt (2-1, 2.97 ERA) will pitch for Oakland. Jordan Lyles (1-3, 9.25 ERA) goes for the Rangers.