Game #149: Rangers Routed by A's Bats

The first inning against Colby Lewis should have yielded runs.  But it didn't.  Despite the first two batters getting on base (Wendle via a bunt), it ended with them stranded as Yonder Alonso slammed his bat down after striking out to end the inning.  Tsk-Tsk, Yonder.  Kids are watching.  A season-of-missed-chances continues.  Ready for 2017!  Alas, Ross Detweiler had a 1-2-3 first inning so that is something.

Fast-forward:  In the bottom of the 3^rd the Rangers scored two, but it could have been far worse had it not been Adrian Beltre's sacrifice fly that was turned into a double play.  The inning began with Jurickson Profar grounding out to Ryon Healy who threw to first.  Robinson Chirinos doubled on a sharp liner to left.  Delino DeShields followed with an RBI single to center.  Carlos Gomez then singled to left as DeShields advanced to third.  Gomez advanced to second on the throw to third to try for DeShields.  Ian Desmond then hit a sharp grounder off of Ross Detwiler's shin to get an infield single that scored DeShields and advanced Gomez to third.  2-0 Rangers.  But Adriane Beltre hit a short fly into right and Danny Valencia threw (albeit a bit up the third base line) to get Gomez at home.  Nice tag, Maxwell...if you actually got him on the hip.  Either way, damage contained.  No challenge play.

Khris Davis didn't give the Rangers time to celebrate.  In the top of the 4^th he hit long-ball #39 to make the score 2-1.  Unfortunately this was it as Alonso and Semien both flew out and Bruce Maxwell K'd on an 82 mph slider to end the inning.

Fast-forward again: Bottom of the 5^th and bases loaded for the Rangers.  Brett Eibner saves at least two runs with his inning-ending catch that has him checked over by the trainer.

Still 2-1 Rangers, but the A's manufacture in the top of the 6^th as Colby Lewis gets yanked after he walks in the tying run.  Danny Valencia walked; Healy then singled.  Lewis then walked Khrush to load the bases.  Alonso followed with a soft liner to Andrus at short.  Marcus Semien then walked and that was all she wrote for Colby Lewis who was replaced by Alex Claudio.  Tie score: 2-2.  Renato Nunez pinch-hit for Bruce Maxwell and grounded out but made it possible for the go-ahead run (Ryon Healy) to score.  A's 3, Rangers 2.

So much for that day off for Stephen Vogt who came in behind the plate in the bottom of the 6^th. Ross Detweiler went a total of 5 and 1/3^rd innings and exited with a potential win on the line in the bottom of the 6^th after getting Odor to ground to first-base and Detweiler to get the putout at first.  Liam Hendricks replaced Detweiler and quickly proceeded to load the bases with two outs.  He gave up a hit to pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland, walked Profar, walked Chirinos and then faced pinch-hitter Nomar Mozara who allegedly swings at everything.  This appeared to be the case as he immediately went into an 0-2 count and ended with a check swing strikeout.

Onto the bottom of top of the 7^th with John Axford on the mound who gave up a hit to the first batter but the defense quickly took care of that with a 5-4-3 double play.  Two outs with Adrian Beltre in the box but Axford gets him swinging.  Onto the 8^th: A's 3, Rangers 2.

Ryon Healy, with a .390 average this month, leads off the 8^th with a single.  And then Khrush, no apparent undershirt on today, hits number 40 of the season over the right field wall on a bullet into the stands.  Luckily the Ranger fans throw back those balls so Khris will get a nice souvenir from today's scorcher.  Wow!  40!  (Dear David Forst, please resign him now before he gets even more expensive.)  5-2 Athletics.

Sean Doolittle came in for the bottom of the 8th to strikeout Odor.  Smolinski helped Doolittle with a jumping tumble of a grab to make Elvis Andrus out #2.  Mitch Moreland became strikeout victim #2 for Doolittle to make for a quick 1-2-3 inning.

The A's faced Matt Bush again in the top of the 9th after he came out of the pen and onto the mound in the 8th.  His sinking fastball seemed to just scream in effortlessly as he topped 100 miles an hour.  But this didn't stop Valencia who picked up a single with one out.  Healy then went down looking, and in came Khris Davis again on the heals of 4 at-bats (strikeout, homer, walk, homer) but grounded into a force out at second, Andrus to Odor.

Three outs and counting.  Ryan Dull in to close.

Profar was victim #1 who chased a slider inside to strikeout.  Carlos Beltran then began by watching Dull paint the outside of the plate.  But Beltran could not be stopped and on a 2-2 pitch he singled to right and was quickly replaced by pinch runner Jared Hoying.  Mazara lined out to Semien and Gomez followed with a final out pop fly to Valencia.

So Ross Detweiler picks up the win and Ryan Dull picks up the save as the Athletics win this rubber-match against the no-doubt playoff bound Texas Rangers.  Detweiler's numbers:  5 and 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs (both earned), 3 walks and 1 strikeout.