Texas Rangers’ Adolis Garcia (53) gets the forearm bash from Joey Gallo (right) after hitting one of two solo home runs this one coming in the sixth inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Wed Jun 23, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s (45-31) met the Texas Rangers (27-47) for the third time this week on Wednesday night at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The A’s, hoping to build on their win Tuesday night, sent James Kaprielian to the hill. Kaprielian entered the game with a 4-1 won-loss record and a sparkling 2.84 ERA.

The Rangers’ starter, Mike Foltynewicz, has been struggling all season. The 29-year-old righty’s record was a woeful 1-7 and had a 5.59 ERA. Foltynewicz had been tagged for 17 dingers so far this year. He led all the AL pitchers in that department. One would think that the A’s would have an easy time with the Rangers on Wednesday night.

The A’s James Kaprielian pitched very well for Oakland. The young man from Southern California had another quality start. Kaprielian went six innings and allowed two runs and five hits. The Rangers’ 28-year-old-rookie from Cuba, Adolis Garcia, took Kaprielian deep in the sixth inning. Foltynewicz pitched well, too. In his first six innings of work, Folty allowed no runs and four hits. He did not look like a pitcher with a 1-7 record.

The Rangers drew first blood in the bottom of the fifth. The Rangers’ left fielder, Eli White, led off the frame with a single. Then, Brock Holt hit into a 4-6-3 double play. Kaprielian walked Nick Solak. The next hitter, former A’s catcher Jonah Heim, who was traded to the Rangers and Kris Davis for Elvis Andrus, doubled to drive in White with the Rangers’ first run. In the bottom of the sixth, with two out, Adolis Garcia blasted his 19th dinger of the season to make it 2-0.

The A’s rallied to plate three runs in the top of the seventh. A’s catcher Sean Murphy hit the first pitch from Folty into the seats for his tenth big fly of the year. The ball traveled an estimated 442-feet. Elvis Andrus followed with a double. Rangers’ manager Chris Woodward brought in Spencer Patton to pitch.

A’s centerfielder, Skye Bolt, greeted him with a single to drive in Andrus with the A’s second run. Tony Kemp and Matt Chapman singled, and the A’s now led 3-2 midway through the seventh. A’s manager Bob Melvin, brought in Yusmeiro Petit to pitch.

Petit had not pitched since last Saturday, and the Rangers would put two on the board and regained the lead 4-3. The Rangers’ first baseman, Nate Lowe, sent Petit’s first pitch out of the ballpark to tie the game. Eli White, who was six-for-12 so far in the series, doubled. Brock holt singled to put Texas ahead 4-3 after seven.

Cam Bedrosian was on the hill for Oakland in the bottom of the eighth. Bedrosian retired the first two hitters he faced. He served up a pitch that Garcia sent into the stands in right field. It was Garcia’s 20th of the year and the seventh opposite-field home run. Joely Rodriguez closed out the game for Texas. The Rangers win 5-3.

Game Notes and Stats- With the loss, the A’s are 45-31 for the year. They fell two games behind the Houston Astros in the race for first place in the AL West. The Astros won their tenth in a row as they destroyed the hapless Baltimore Orioles 13-0 Wednesday night. The Rangers are 27-47 for the year.

The A’s line was three runs, ten hits, and no errors. The Rangers’ line was five runs, ten hits, and no errors. The Rangers hit three homers in the game, and the A’s had one. The Rangers’ outfielders, Joy Gallo and Eli White, each made a sensational sliding catch to rob the A’s hitters of possible extra-base hits.

The A’s conclude the four-game series Thursday afternoon. Chris Bassitt (7-2, 3.40 ERA) will go for Oakland. Kolby Allard (2-2, 2.93 ERA) will be on the mound for Texas. The game will start at 11:05 am.