Rangers at Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are inching toward a playoff berth on the strength of a relentless lineup that is producing remarkably consistent results of late. The Athletics have scored exactly eight runs in each game during a three-game winning streak and will try to push the run to four in a row when they complete a series with the visiting Texas Rangers on Sunday.
After topping the New York Yankees 8-2 on Wednesday, Oakland produced 8-4 and 8-6 wins over the Rangers to start the final series between the American League West rivals. Khris Davis slugged a two-run homer - his 10th of the season against Texas - to set the tone in Saturday's triumph as the Athletics opened a commanding 7 1/2-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the race for the second wild card in the AL. Adrian Beltre gave the Rangers something to cheer about with a pair of homers of his own, moving him past Carlos Delgado (473) and into 32nd place on the all-time list. Veteran Trevor Cahill will try to help the A's end their homestand on a good note when he starts the series finale against opener Jeffrey Springs.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Southwest (Texas), NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Jeffrey Springs (0-0, 2.29 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Trevor Cahill (6-3, 3.60)
Springs was named the opener for the series finale as he makes his second straight start. The 25-year-old tossed two scoreless innings as the starter in a matchup with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. Fellow rookie Ariel Jurado, who is 2-4 with a 6.69 ERA in seven starts, is expected to get the bulk of the innings in relief.
Cahill has a 6.75 ERA over his last three starts, but did just enough in five innings to win his last time out against the Yankees. The 30-year-old, who enters Sunday with 999 career strikeouts, is 5-0 with a 1.09 ERA in nine home starts. Beltre is 13-for-35 with two homers and four doubles against Cahill, who is 11-4 with a 3.07 ERA in 19 career starts against Texas.
WALK-OFFS
1. Davis needs one home run Sunday to tie Mickey Mantle's record for most homers in a single season against the Rangers' franchise.
2. Beltre also tied Paul Waner with his 3,152nd career hit, two shy of George Brett for 15th on baseball's all-time list.
3. Oakland has won 12 games against Texas this year, its best total in the season series since 2003 (15-4).