Khris Davis continued his slugging ways with an eighth-inning solo homer that completed the visiting Oakland A's rally from a five-run deficit to top the Texas Rangers, 8-6, Friday night in Arlington.
It was Davis' fifth home run in his last three games and his 10th of the season. His grounder to third base in the sixth inning scored Mark Canha as part of a four-run rally that included an RBI double from Stephen Piscotty that shrunk a 6-1 Rangers lead to 6-5.
In his first game against his former team, A's second baseman Jurickson Profar had two hits, drove in Oakland's first run and scored the A's final run, an insurance run in the ninth.
Ramon Laureano tied it at 6-6 in the seventh, crushing an opposite-field homer off Rangers reliever Shawn Kelley and taking Oakland starter Mike Fiers off the hook. Fiers departed after just five innings and giving up six runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out six.
Four Oakland relievers kept the Rangers scoreless with three hits, no walks and six strikeouts through the final four innings.
Texas had a shot in the eighth after Nomar Mazara doubled reliever Lou Trivino with one out. But Joey Gallo struck out swinging against Ryan Buchter and then Asdrubal Cabrera whiffed at a Blake Treinen off-speed pitch to end the threat. In the ninth, Texas had a baserunner on first with one out, but left him there. Shin-Soo Choo went 3-for-5, but struck out against Treinen looking to end the game.
Trivino (1-0) got the win, Treinen got his fifth save.
Rangers starter Drew Smyly held the A's offense in check through five innings, but ran out of gas in the sixth. He gave up a leadoff single followed by consecutive walks to load the bases to summon a bullpen that blew the lead.
All three runners reliever Jesse Chavez inherited scored and were charged to Smyly, running his ERA to 7.15 through three starts. Chris Martin (0-1) gave up the eighth-inning blast to Davis.
The Rangers opened the game with two quick runs on consecutive doubles from Choo and Logan Forsythe followed by a fielder's choice grounder from Mazara. Cabrera hit his fourth homer of the season in the fourth to make it 3-1, and shortstop Elvis Andrus' three-run shot in the fifth made it 6-1 Rangers.
--Field Level Media
Oakland | Texas | |
Mike Fiers | Player | Drew Smyly |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
5.0 | IP | 5.0 |
6 | Strikeouts | 5 |
7 | Hits | 4 |
10.80 | ERA | 7.20 |
Oakland | Texas | |
Ramon Laureano | Player | Shin-Soo Choo |
2 | Hits | 3 |
1 | RBI | 0 |
1 | HR | 0 |
5 | TB | 4 |
.500 | Avg | .600 |