Rangers 5, Athletics 4

[April 23, 2014]  OAKLAND, Calif. — Rangers 5, Athletics 4: Josh Wilson and Michael Choice each knocked in a run in the top of the ninth with two outs as Texas rallied past Oakland for the second straight night.

After Mitch Moreland was thrown out at the plate on a squeeze attempt for the second out, Leonys Martin stole second and scored on Wilson’s double to left field. Choice followed with a single up the middle to give Alexi Ogando (1-1) the win after retiring one batter and Joakim Soria earned his fifth save in the ninth.

Coco Crisp had a two-out RBI double in the fourth inning while Josh Reddick contributed two hits for Oakland. Athletics starter Tommy Milone battled through six innings while yielding three runs on five hits, but closer Luke Gregerson (0-1) allowed two runs on three hits in the ninth.

The Rangers scored on a bases-loaded walk by Robinson Chirinos and an infield single by Donnie Murphy (two hits) in the top of the first inning. The Athletics tied it in their half of the first as Josh Donaldson delivered an RBI single up the middle and Yoenis Cespedes drilled a run-scoring double to left field.

Texas took the lead on a double play in the third before John Jaso’s one-out single and an error set the table for Oakland in the fourth. Eric Sogard lifted a sacrifice fly and Crisp hit his double to left-center field to give Oakland a 4-3 lead, but the Athletics blew their sixth save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Nick Martinez gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits over five innings in his second major-league start for Texas. … Reddick is 9-for-18 in his last five contests. … Rangers 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, named the American League Player of the Week on Monday, left the game in the fourth inning with back tightness after going 0-for-1 with a walk.

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