Rangers win on Lucroy's RBI in ninth

[September 17, 2016]  ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jonathan Lucroy's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Texas Rangers to a 7-6 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday.

The win dropped the magic number for the Rangers to clinch the American League West title to seven games.

A's reliever Ryan Madson (5-6) gave up a one-out double to Carlos Beltran and then walked Adrian Beltre. After a strikeout of Rougned Odor and a stolen base by pinch runner Joey Gallo, Lucroy delivered the seventh walk-off win for the Rangers this year.

The rally from a 6-2 deficit took starter Cole Hamels off the hook and gave a win to Sam Dyson (2-2), who pitched a scoreless ninth.

Oakland jumped out to a 3-0 lead behind a two-run homer from Khris Davis in the third inning and then upped the lead to 6-2 in the sixth on a three-run homer from Brett Eibner.

Texas cut the four-run deficit in half in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double from Beltre and a run-scoring single from Mitch Moreland.

Oakland starter Kendall Graveman was charged with four runs on seven hits in his 5 1/3 innings. Hamels gave up six runs on seven hits in his six innings.

The Rangers made it a one-run game in the seventh on a solo homer by Carlos Gomez.

Eibner had two hits and four RBIs, while Eibner, Ryon Healy and Danny Valencia each had two hits for the A's.

Texas finished with 12 hits, with Nomar Mazara, Moreland, Beltran and Odor each collecting two.

Texas got to Graveman for two runs in the fifth. Elvis Andrus lined an RBI double down the line in left to get the Rangers on the board before Gomez reduced the A's lead to 3-2 with an RBI groundout.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) pours ice and water over the head of catcher Jonathan Lucroy (25) after the game against the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Rangers defeat the A's 7-6. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

NOTES: Oakland had three wins by at least eight runs in their four games in Kansas City after having that happen just one time in its first 142 games this season. ... The Rangers opened Friday with six qualifying hitters batting at least .280. That's the most in the majors and none of the six were hitting .300 on the season. ... All three starters for Texas in the Oakland series -- Cole Hamels, Yu Darvish and Colby Lewis -- have sub 4.00 ERAs. They are the only three pitchers to start for Texas this year with ERAs under 4.00. ... Texas OF Shin-Soo Choo, who has been on the disabled list since Aug. 16 with a fractured left forearm, is now swinging a bat and is hoping to have a chance to join the club if they make the postseason.

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