By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Despite losing 5-3 to the Oakland Athletics Saturday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, the Texas Rangers didn’t lose any ground in the American League Wild Card race.
Despite losing to the A’s, possessors of the AL’s worst record, the Rangers remain 1 ½ games behind Houston in the AL West, and one game ahead of Minnesota for the second wild card slot.
Sean Nolin (1-1) got the win for the A’s, limiting the Rangers to five hits, and a solo home run by Mike Napoli, over 5 2/3 innings. Texas right-hander Yovani Gallardo (12-10) saw his five-game winning streak snapped while taking his first loss in nine starts.
Gallardo went 4 1/3 innings and allowed all five Oakland runs in the fifth inning on a pair of home runs – a three-run shot by Mark Canha and a two-run homer by Danny Valencia.
The Rangers’ Shin-Soo Choo extended his hitting streak to 12 games, and teammate Elvis Andrus snapped an 0-21 batting drought by rapping three doubles.
A’s outfielder Billy Burns missed his second game, battling a groin injury. Oakland manager Bob Melvin told reporters after the game that Burns “would probably” miss Sunday’s game.
Left-hander Felix Doubront (3-1) is on the mound for Oakland in the series finale, while Texas counters with right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez (2-5).
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