There will be postseason ball in Oakland for the first time since 2006. The Oakland Athletics downed the Texas Rangers, 4-3, Monday night at the O.co Coliseum and have secured one of the AL Wild Card slots, at the very least.
Oakland A’s clinch playoff berth with win over Rangers
The Athletics defeated the Rangers, 4-3, to clinch a playoff berth and climb to within one game of a share of the AL West title.
Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire
The victory also brings the A’s to within one game of a tie for the AL West lead.
Martin Perez did not pitch well, and Oakland made him pay early. Coco Crisp and Jonny Gomes hit back-to-back singles in the first, and Crisp advanced to third on a groundout. A Chris Carter walk and a Josh Reddick single later, and the A's put their first run on the board. Carter trotted home when Perez balked, making the score 2-0 Oakland.
The Rangers were able to claw back to knot the score at 2 on the strength of an RBI single by Elvis Andrus and a Michael Young solo shot, but Perez faltered again in the fifth inning. Adam Rosales led off the frame with a double and came around to score on a double by Crisp. Though the back-to-back two-baggers signaled the end of Perez's night, reliever Scott Feldman allowed Crisp to score on a sac fly from Brandon Moss, bringing Perez's line on the night to four-plus innings with four earned runs on six hits and two walks.
Mike Napoli, fresh off his one-man destruction crew show against the Angels, blasted a solo shot in the seventh inning off A's starter Jarrod Parker, halving Oakland's lead and ending the righty's night. Parker allowed three runs on six hits in six-plus innings. He struck out six.
Sean Doolittle, Ryan Cook, and Grant Balfour each hurled an inning of scoreless ball to secure the Athletics' 92nd victory of the season. Balfour struck out the side to end the game.
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