Tyler Soderstrom (21) is greeeted by Sacramento A’s teammate Carlos Cortes (26) after hitting a solo home run in the top of the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington on Fri Apr 24, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s game wrap: The A’s Go Deep in the Heart of Texas 8-1

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics arrived in Arlington Friday night tied with Texas in the American League West, and then spent the first inning acting like they were trying to settle the matter Like Santa Ana at the Alamo. On a night that began at 7:09 p.m. local time at Globe Life Field, the Green and Gold jumped on Nathan Eovaldi immediately, rode the surf of a sharp Luis Severino start, and powered their way to an 8-1 win over the Rangers.

Nick Kurtz opened the game with a home run to right field, his fifth of the season, giving the A’s a 1-0 lead before vendors could sell their first hot dogs. Two batters later, Carlos Cortes sent another ball over the wall, this one to right center. Then Tyler Soderstrom followed with a blast to center, turning the first inning into a three-homer ambush and giving the Athletics a 3-0 lead. For a club that entered the night with only four first-inning runs all season, this was not so much a fast start as a rude awakening.

Severino took that cushion and treated it like good leather, preserving it with care. He worked around a Joc Pederson single in the first by getting Corey Seager to roll into a double play, then kept the Rangers quiet through three innings. Texas finally scratched him in the fourth when Seager doubled and Josh Jung drove him in with a ground-rule double to left. Jung even stole third, but Severino shut the inning down by striking out Evan Carter, keeping the A’s in firm control at 3-1.

The real hammer fell in the fifth. Zack Gelof singled, Kurtz worked a walk after a successful challenge overturned the original pitch call, and Shea Langeliers popped out on the infield fly rule. That brought up Cortes, who had already homered once. He did it again, lifting a three-run shot to right field that stretched the lead to 6-1 and gave the A’s breathing room big enough to rent out.

Cortes finished with two home runs and four RBI, continuing a strong run after stepping into a larger role with Brent Rooker on the injured list. The switch has not looked like a patch job; it has looked like an opportunity being grabbed with both hands.

Kurtz also kept building his own strange and impressive brand of chaos. His leadoff homer, fifth-inning walk, and seventh-inning single gave him three trips on base, and the walk extended a stretch that had already placed him near historic Athletics territory.

He entered the game having walked in 13 straight games, the longest such run by an Athletic since Rickey Henderson’s 15-game streak in 1993. Kurtz is not merely swinging for damage. He is forcing pitchers into uncomfortable conversations, and lately, he has been winning most of them.

Severino’s night was exactly what the A’s needed. He gave them 6.2 innings of one-run baseball, allowing six hits and one walk while striking out five. That was especially important because he entered the game with better road numbers than home numbers and with a history of early-inning trouble this season. Instead of wobbling early, he steadied the whole game. Hogan Harris replaced him in the seventh with two Rangers aboard and struck out pinch-hitter Sam Haggerty to end the threat.

The A’s bullpen kept the door shut from there. Harris handled part of the eighth before Justin Sterner came in after singles by Andrew McCutchen and Seager. Sterner got Jake Burger on a forceout and Josh Jung on a flyout to escape the inning. Luis Medina finished the ninth with a clean frame, getting Carter, Kyle Higashioka, and Josh Smith in order.

Gelof added one last thump in the ninth, launching a two-run homer to left after Jeff McNeil singled. It was Gelof’s first homer of the season and the sixth Athletics home run of the night, a tidy final insult in a game Texas had spent most of the evening chasing.

The A’s also played clean defense behind their pitchers, with Jacob Wilson helping turn the first-inning double play and continuing to look steady at shortstop. That fits a larger season theme, as the club entered the night with the fewest errors in the majors and Wilson carrying the longest errorless streak by a shortstop in Athletics history.

For one night in Texas, the Athletics did not need late drama, bullpen roulette, or a comeback script. They brought the thunder early, added more in the middle, and walked out with an 8-1 win that felt every bit as loud as the scoreboard suggested.

Saturday starting pitchers for Sacramento LHP Jefferey Springs (3-1 ERA 3.34) for Texas LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-2 ERA 4.15) first pitch 4:05pm PDT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.