Rangers at Athletics
The struggling Oakland Athletics managed to avoid a fourth consecutive loss and sixth in seven games Saturday, but it took a strong play to do it. Oakland looks to earn a split of its four-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers when it hosts Sunday's finale.
The Athletics watched 3-0 and 2-0 leads turn into 11-3 and 5-2 losses, respectively, in the first two contests of the set versus Texas and nearly followed the same pattern Saturday as they scored the first five runs before holding on for a 5-4 victory. The win was preserved by right fielder Chad Pinder, who threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the seventh inning after the Rangers already had scored four times in the frame. Mark Canha, Marcus Semien, Matt Chapman and Ramon Laureano went deep in the triumph as Oakland ended its season-high three-game homer drought. Danny Santana went 2-for-5 with two RBIs for his 10th multi-hit performance in 15 games for the Rangers, who have won only three of their last 13 contests.
TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Pedro Payano (1-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Mike Fiers (9-3, 3.57)
Payano earned his first career start with a strong performance in his relief appearance on Tuesday as he followed an "opener" and gave up just one run and three hits while registering seven strikeouts over five innings to notch the victory at Seattle. The 24-year-old New Yorker made his major-league debut on July 6, when he issued one walk in one scoreless frame at Minnesota. Payano has pitched in Double-A and Triple-A this season, going 5-3 with a 4.40 ERA in 15 starts and one relief appearance.
Fiers extended his unbeaten streak to 14 starts Tuesday as he allowed two runs and six hits over 7 2/3 innings in a no-decision at Houston. The 34-year-old Floridian, who hasn't lost since May 1 at Boston, has given up three runs or fewer in each turn during his unbeaten stretch. Fiers is 3-3 with a 6.59 ERA in nine starts and one relief appearance against the Rangers, including a no-decision at Texas on April 12 in which he was tagged for six runs and seven hits over five frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers LHP Mike Minor, who has been the subject of trade rumors, will have his scheduled start Tuesday pushed back a day until after Wednesday's trade deadline.
2. Oakland released C Nick Hundley on Saturday while acquiring LHP Jake Diekman from Kansas City for OF Dairon Blanco and RHP Ismael Aquino.
3. Texas RHP Edinson Volquez, who is on the injured list with a sprained right elbow, announced he will retire at the end of the season.