Time to celebrate the Texas Rangers Rougned Odor (12) and Elvis Andrus (1) jump for joy after a three run home run in the Rangers five run first inning against the Oakland A’s at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

What a difference a day makes especially in baseball. Yesterday the Oakland A’s took the Rangers apart and it all started in the early innings of the game. It is a very difficult task to take a team apart two games in a row however. The Rangers are a decent team and they proved that they are a lot more than just decent in the first inning of today’s double header.

By the end of the first inning the A’s were looking at a 5-0 deficit as the Rangers turned the tables on them. After two walks and two home runs the A’s were behind the eight ball from the start.

Ronald Guzman and Rougned Odor hit homers for the Rangers with runners on base taking an early and lofty lead. Nick Goody was on the mound for the Rangers and Dalton Jefferies started for Oakland.

The second inning was a quick one for both teams and the score remained 5-0 in favor of the Rangers. Oakland got on the board in the third inning when Vimael Machin doubled to deep left and the next at bat Jonah Heim was able to drive him in.

This would be Heim’s first RBI in his young career. This kid is the real thing and watching him this season will be a real treat. That would be it for Oakland as well as a three up three down for the Rangers. The third inning saw Jordan Weems pitching for the Athletics striking out two Rangers for a nice start.

Wes Benjamin would take the mound for Texas to start the fourth inning. It would be another three up, three down for the A’s. Oakland’s Weems would have another nice inning in the fourth with three strike outs. The fifth inning was uneventful for both teams. It was on to the sixth inning in this seven inning game.

Jonathan Hernandez came to the mound for the Rangers in the sixth inning striking out two. Olson would double to right scoring Tommy La Stella who had walked trimming the score to 5-2. Lou Trevino took over in the bottom of the sixth. Two ground outs and one line out for the Rangers sent this game into the top of the seventh inning.

Closing this game for the Rangers was Rafael Montero. Mark Canha struck out, Machin grounded out and Heim popped out to shortstop and the Rangers took the first game of the double header. The final was 5-2.

It is hard to believe that the A’s have taken six of eight games from this Ranger team. Oakland hardly looked like the better team in this game. It was a rough tough start for the young Dalton Jeffries not even seeing an entire inning.

It was not a stellar welcome to the big league for the pitcher as he seemed to struggle with execution and confidence. On the other hand it was a good one for Jordan Weems through three innings.

“He walked a couple guys and he never walks anybody. First innings can be tough. The homer can be tough on anyone,” said manager Bob Melvin of Jeffries performance. Both teams would have a break before game two. The Oakland A’s would try to regroup and take the second game of the series.