Gage Jump #61 of the Sacramento Athletics pitches during the top of the second inning against the Texas Rangers at Sutter Health Park on August 14, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a rough three-game series for the Sacramento A’s against the Tampa Bay Rays in Sacramento, where they were swept and outscored 30-14, the A’s welcomed the Rangers to Sutter Health Park for a three-game series on Friday night. After the day game on Wednesday followed by the off day on Thursday, the A’s and Rangers kicked off at 6:40 p.m. PDT under clear skies at a perfect 77 degrees.

The A’s beat the Rangers in game one of the series, 8-3.

Gage Jump took the mound for the A’s in the first game of the series in what was his 14th appearance this year for the A’s (all starts). Jump tried to build off his last outing, which was a six-inning, two-run performance, and he largely did that. Jump cruised through the first five innings on Friday as he faced only four over the minimum (including a fielding error).

However, it was the sixth inning that Jump found himself in trouble. Jump got the first man in the sixth but followed that up with a walk, single and then a three-run, game-tying home run. Kotsay pulled Jump after the home run that spoiled his outing, albeit still leaving with the game tied. Overall, Jump managed five and a third innings, giving up three runs on three hits while walking four and striking out one.

Mark Kotsay thought Jump pitched well, albeit without having his best command.

“Yeah, overall I thought it was a solid outing,” Kotsay said of Jump. “He probably didn’t have the best command of everything tonight, but I thought he worked that lineup really well.”

First out of the bullpen to finish the sixth inning in relief of Jump was Luis Medina. Medina managed to strike out two and get out of the sixth inning with relative ease. Medina again went back out for the seventh inning and was able to record two groundouts before being lifted by Mark Kotsay. Medina finished with a line of one and a third innings of work while allowing no runs and no hits and walking just one batter. Medina struck out two of the five batters he faced.

Mark Kotsay elected to go with Drew Rom next out of the bullpen for the A’s. Drew recorded the final out of the seventh and the first out of the eighth before giving up a double and being pulled by the A’s. Overall, Rom faced three hitters and retired two of them in his two-thirds of an inning scoreless.

Elvis Alvarado came on next for the A’s and managed to get the final two outs of the eighth inning without allowing the runner from second (that he inherited) to score. A pumped Elvis walked off the mound after finishing off the Rangers in the eighth with a strikeout and a flyout. Elvis allowed nothing but a walk while striking out one in his two-thirds of an inning of work.

Hogan Harris was the last man out of the bullpen for the A’s as he pitched the ninth inning. Harris pitched a clean ninth inning other than an E5 that caused a runner to reach base.

The A’s offense took advantage of all their opportunities on Friday as they managed eight runs while gathering nine hits and seven walks.

The A’s first runs came in the first inning of the game thanks to some Carlos Cortes heroics. Cortes, with the bases loaded and two outs, drilled a three-RBI double to the right-center field gap to clear the bases in the first inning. It was the 15th double of the year for Cortes and RBIs 33, 34 and 35 for the left-handed outfielder.

The A’s next run came in the sixth inning thanks to Jeff McNeil. McNeil connected on just his fifth home run of the season on a low rope over the bullpen in right-center field. It was RBI No. 37 for McNeil as he gave the A’s back the lead at the time, 4-3. The home run left Jeff’s bat at 101.5 mph and traveled 400 feet with a 26-degree launch angle.

The A’s got back on the board with another run, this time in the seventh inning and courtesy of Lawrence Butler. Butler drove a solo home run over the wall in center field to give the A’s, at the time, the 5-3 lead. It was Butler’s 10th homer of the season and was good for his 34th RBI of the campaign. The ball left Butler’s bat at 103.4 mph and landed 411 feet away from home plate beyond the wall in center field just left of the grass berm.

In the eighth inning, the A’s put a crooked number up to seal the deal against the Rangers. Henry Bolte hit into a fielder’s choice to the catcher, who then threw the ball away down the left-field line. The throwing error by the catcher allowed Tommy White to score and extended the A’s lead to 6-3.

Jeff McNeil, who already had a single, double and home run in the game, stepped up next and ripped a two-RBI double down the right-field line to put the A’s up 8-3. McNeil rounded the corner at second hard but slammed on the brakes as he thought about going for the cycle. It was McNeil’s fourth hit of the game and RBIs 38 and 39 on the season.

With the win, the A’s improved to 48-74 as the Rangers fell to 60-63.

The A’s and Rangers will play game two of the three-game series on Saturday at 6:40 p.m. PDT at Sutter Health Park. J.T. Ginn (8-6, 3.41 ERA) is scheduled to start for the A’s as the Rangers will send MacKenzie Gore (6-9, 4.43 ERA) to the hill.