The Texas Rangers Mark Mathias is greeted by teammates at the plate after swinging for a game winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat the visiting Oakland A’s in the first of a two game series at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington on Tue Sep 13, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s and the Texas Rangers played a very entertaining game Tuesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Both teams had no trouble solving the slants of two lefty starting pitchers. Rangers’ starter Cole Ragans went four-plus innings and allowed eight hits and seven runs.

The A’s Ken Waldichuk lasted five innings. Waldichuk allowed eight hits and five runs. Seven of the eight hits were for extra bases. The Rangers had six doubles, one home run, and a single. Texas tied the game in the seventh and won on a walk-off home run to win 8-7.

Oakland drew first blood in the top of the first. With two out, Chad Pinder singled. Pinder went to second on a wild pitch. Ragans then walked Shea Langeliers. The next hitter, A’s first baseman, Dermis Garcia, belted his third home run to give Oakland an early 3-0 lead.

The Rangers weren’t fazed. They put two on the board in their half of the first. Former A’s shortstop Marcus Semien led off with a double. Waldichuk retired the next two hitters. Adolis Garcia doubled to drive in Semien. Third baseman Josh Jung also doubled to drive in Garcia. The A’s led 3-2 

The A’s scored three times in the top of the fourth. With one out, Jonah Bride and Sheldon Neuse singled. Nick Allen’s double drove in two. Cristian Pache singled to give Oakland a 6-2 lead. 

The A’s made it 7-2 in the top of the fifth. Chad Pinder led off the inning with a double. Rangers’ manager Tony Beasley brought in lefty Taylor Hearn to pitch. Hearn Retired Langeliers for the first out. Garcia doubled to drive in Pinder. 

The Rangers plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Waldichuk was tagged for back-to-back doubles by Marcus Semien and Mark Mathias. Waldichuk retired Nate Lowe for the first out. Adolis Garcia blasted his 25th homer to make it 7-5 after five. Waldichuk was done for the night. He allowed six doubles, one home run, and one single in his five innings. He threw 82 pitches.

The Rangers tied the game in the seventh. Austin Pruitt was on the hill for Oakland. Marcus Semien led off the inning with his third double of the night. It was the first time in Semien’s career that he had three doubles in a game. The next hitter, Mark Mathias, homered to make it 7-7.

The Rangers’ relievers, lefties Taylor Hearn and Brook Burke, allowed the A’s just one hit in the last four innings of the game. The A’s A.J.Puk pitched well in the seventh and eighth. A’s manager Mark Kotsay brought in Joel Payamps to pitch the ninth.

Payamps retired Semien for the first out. The next hitter, Mark Mathias, sent the Rangers’ fans home with smiles as he hit his second home run of the night to win it for Texas 8-7.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 51-91. Texas improved to 62-80. 

The line score for Oakland was seven runs, ten hits, and no errors. Texas’ line was eight runs, eleven hits, and no errors. The Rangers hit seven doubles, three home runs, and just one lonely single. It was quite an impressive display of power. 

Dermis Garcia doubled and homered to drive in four runs. Chad Pinder had three hits for Oakland. The hitting stars for Texas were Marcus Semien, with three doubles, and Mark Mathias, with a double and two home runs.

The A’s and Texas have played 18 times this year. Texas leads 11-7. 

Lefty J.P.Sears (5-2, 3.33) goes for Oakland on Wednesday. Dane Dunning (3-8, 4.39) will pitch for Texas.

The time of the game was 2:41. 14,916 people watched a very entertaining game.