Game Thread #139: Oakland Athletics vs. Texas Rangers

Hold on to your butts! The A's and Rangers face off in the rubber game of the temporarily AL-West-deciding series, as the A's try to tie up the Rangers again today. The A's will send Jarrod Parker to the mound against the Rangers' ace Yu Darvish. The A's struggled in yesterday's game--a rare sight over the last 10 games--and will look to bounce back today and take the series.

By baseballgirl Sep 4, 2013, 12:15pm PDT

Happy Wednesday! Happy Anniversary to me (3 years, can y'all believe it?)! And Happy September baseball! Once again, the A's are playing meaningful September baseball, and find themselves locked in a fight for Division honors; first place meaning so much more than it ever has before with the new Wild Card format.

The A's Jarrod Parker will be on the mound today; he hasn't lost a game in forever, but he will be facing a tough customer in Yu Darvish. Parker has quietly emerged as the A's ace, filling the role that Bartolo Colon has vacated late this year. The A's will have the red-hot Coco back in center today, Moss in right, Barton at first, and Vogt catching, stacking the lineup with the lefties.

Needless to say, this is a huge game for the A's, and one that would really put the finishing touches on their already-awesome last two weeks.

Here are your lineups:

1. Leonys Martin (L) CF

2. Craig Gentry (R) LF

3. Ian Kinsler (R) 2B

4. Adrian Beltre (R) 3B

5. A.J. Pierzynski (L) C

6. Alex Rios (R) RF

7. Mitch Moreland (L) 1B

8. Jurickson Profar (S) SS

9. Jim Adduci (L) DH

1. Coco Crisp (S) CF