Jorge Cantu hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning to help the Texas Rangers win their first division title since 1999 with a 4-3 victory over the host Oakland Athletics on Saturday.
The homer was Cantu’s first in 25 games with the Rangers, who clinched the American League West crown. Cantu went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.
Neftali Feliz got the last four outs while notching his 38th save of the season. Feliz retired Cliff Pennington on a fly out to left field for the final out to set off a wild on-field celebration.
Texas had a 3-1 lead before Pennington hit a two-run homer off Clay Rapada in the seventh inning to tie the contest.
The Rangers took a 2-1 lead when Ian Kinsler doubled to lead off the sixth and scored on Cantu’s single. Texas added a run in the seventh when Elvis Andrus scored on a wild pitch. Michael Young had homered in the third for the first Texas run.
Reliever Darren O’Day (5-2) recorded the victory. Michael Wuertz (2-3) lost for Oakland.
Athletics starter Gio Gonzalez allowed two runs in six innings. Derek Holland gave up one run and four hits in five innings for Texas.
Texas | Oakland | |
Derek Holland | Player | Gio Gonzalez |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
5.0 | IP | 6.0 |
3 | Strikeouts | 2 |
4 | Hits | 7 |
1.80 | ERA | 3.00 |
Texas | Oakland | |
Jorge Cantu | Player | Cliff Pennington |
3 | Hits | 2 |
2 | RBI | 2 |
1 | HR | 1 |
6 | TB | 5 |
.750 | Avg | .500 |