Athletics 3, Rangers 2: George Kottaras hit a second-deck homer to lead off the 10th to pull visiting Oakland within four games of first-place Texas in the American League West.

Kottaras’ homer to right field off Mark Lowe (0-2) put the Athletics within a half-game of wild card leader Baltimore and kept them two games in front of the Los Angeles Angels for the second wild card. Evan Scribner (1-0) pitched a flawless ninth for his first-major league victory and Grant Balfour worked the 10th for his 21st save.

Texas pitcher Yu Darvish was scratched from the start due to neck stiffness. Scott Feldman started in his place and allowed two runs and four hits in four innings. Oakland starter Tommy Milone allowed two unearned runs and six hits in six innings.

The Rangers scored twice in the first thanks to a fielding error by Oakland right fielder Brandon Moss. Josh Hamilton delivered a single to load the bases but the charging Moss let the ball get through him, allowing both Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus to score.

Daric Barton doubled off the right-field wall in the second to get the Athletics on the board and Chris Carter lined a homer to left in the fourth to tie the contest.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Slumping Oakland OF Josh Reddick was retired as a pinch hitter to end the eighth and is now 0-for-28 over his last seven games. … Hamilton is 3-for-7 in the first two games of the series after returning from a five-game absence due to sinus and vision troubles. … Moss made a spectacular back-to-the-plate grab of a bases-loaded, two-out drive by Andrus in the seventh to keep the score tied at 2-2.