LDN - Sports

A's beat Rangers behind Gray's strong start

[July 27, 2016] ARLINGTON, Texas -- One start does not turn a season around for Sonny Gray.

But it could be a start.

Gray showed flashes of his old self, Josh Reddick drove in three runs and the Oakland Athletics beat the Rangers 6-3 Tuesday night at Globe Life Park.

"You have to remind him who Sonny Gray is," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "Sonny Gray is one of the best pitchers in the American League."

The A's (46-55) evened the three-game series at a game apiece against the American League West leaders. Texas (58-43) had its three-game winning streak snapped.

Gray remained undefeated in Texas after another strong start against the Rangers. The righty went six innings and allowed three runs on five hits, striking out a season-high eight.

"That's the pitcher who I want to be," Gray said. "That's the pitcher who I've been my whole career, not only in the big leagues, but my whole life, and I don't know what it's been this year."

Gray improved to 5-9 on the season and 8-3 lifetime against Texas, including 6-0 in Arlington. Something about this park agrees with Gray.

"This is a place where I've always liked throwing," he said. "I feel good out there on the mound. I feel really loose."

The A's backed their starter with three long balls. Reddick had a two-run homer as part of his 2-4 night. Coco Crisp and Marcus Semien also went yard.

The Rangers went deep twice, with call-up Joey Gallo clubbing his first of the year. The Rangers' top prospect was summoned from Triple-A Round Rock in central Texas early in the afternoon and needed a police escort to make it to the ballpark on time.

Texas spot starter Nick Martinez was shelled for five Oakland runs in four-plus innings. The A's added a run in the ninth on a Crisp double that ricocheted off reliever Sam Dyson's foot.

Oakland's bullpen worked three innings of scoreless relief.

While the A's trail Texas by 12 games in the standings, Oakland leads the season series 5-4 going into Wednesday night's series rubber game.

The A's broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the fourth on two home runs off Texas starter Nick Martinez.

Crisp, back after missing two games with a sore neck, launched a mammoth solo shot into the right-field upper deck for his eighth homer of the year to lead off the inning. Josh Reddick followed two batters later with his seventh dinger, a two-run blast to right.

Oakland made it 4-0 on Semien's homer to center in the fifth, his 21st of the season. Following a hit and a walk, Martinez was done without recording an out in the inning.

"I felt the same all four innings, just a couple mistakes there that they capitalized on. I think that was the biggest thing," Martinez said. "I was attacking the zone. I felt good, getting ahead of guys. Again, just three mistakes there that cost me."

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Athletics starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) throws to first base for an out in the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Claudio came on in relief, and the A's were able to tack on another run on Reddick's two-out single that scored Ryon Healy.

The Rangers didn't get their first hit off Gray until Rougned Odor led off the fifth with a sharp line to right. Odor tried to stretch it into a double but was thrown out easily by Reddick.

"Obviously a little more aggressive than we like it, based on the result of the play," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "Does the inning stay the same with (Odor) standing at first base? Who's to say? Gray may pitch a little differently there."

The shutout ended with a bomb by the ensuing batter. Joey Gallo, called up from Triple-A before the game, crushed his first home run of the year over the visitor's bullpen in left-center.

Mitch Moreland smacked a two-run homer into Oakland's bullpen two batters later to make it 5-3, and Texas was suddenly back into the game. Gray was able stop the damage there.

"I've had some innings that get away from me this year and to make the pitches I needed to make there to get those guys out was something I wasn't able to do for a lot of this year," he said.

NOTES: The game was delayed at the start for an hour and two minutes due to rain. ... Texas recalled top prospect INF/OF Joey Gallo from Triple-A Round Rock. Gallo, with 19 home runs in the minors, started at first base. "He's coming to play," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ... Oakland LF Coco Crisp returned to the lineup after missing two games with neck soreness. ... Texas recalled RHP Nick Martinez to make a spot start. RHP Kyle Lohse was designated for assignment and OF Jared Hoying was optioned to Round Rock. ... A's manager Bob Melvin said there's a chance LHP Rick Hill could start at Cleveland this weekend. Hill, sidelined with a blister, was scheduled to throw Tuesday. ... Oakland recalled RHP J.B. Wendelken from Triple-A Nashville and optioned RHP Daniel Mengden to Nashville. ... The A's reinstated C Stephen Vogt from the family medical leave list and optioned C Matt McBride to Nashville.

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