Oakland Athletics Return The Favor, Sweep Rangers In Arlington
By Phil Watson
Apr 30, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Jesse Chavez (60) throws a pitch in the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Athletics capped a dominant three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers Wednesday, pummeling the Rangers 12-1 at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.
The Rangers had swept the A’s at O.co Coliseum last week, but this series was all green-and-gold as Oakland (18-10) outscored the Rangers (15-13) 25-4 in the three games.
Jesse Chavez (2-0) allowed just one hit in seven innings, walking one and striking out eight.
Texas didn’t help themselves defensively, committing four errors behind starter Robbie Ross (1-2) and five Ranger relievers.
The A’s broke the game wide open early, scoring seven runs in the third. Coco Crisp started things with a one-out single, followed by Craig Gentry’s ground-rule double.
Josh Donaldson singled home Crisp with a sharp hit to left and Yoenis Cespedes made it a 3-0 game with a line-drive double to center field. Derek Norris reached on an infield single to third and Alberto Callaspo’s grounder was mishandled by Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus, allowing Cespedes to score and Norris to reach third base. Josh Reddick then walked to load the bases.
Nick Punto’s grounder to third moved everyone up and scored Norris to make it 5-0 and Eric Sogard—the 10th Oakland hitter of the inning—singled to left to chase home two more runs.
The A’s didn’t let off the gas, scoring three more in the fourth. Gentry singled and, one out later, Cespedes doubled again. Norris reached on another infield single to third that wound up plating two runs, thanks to two errors on the play. Beltre threw the ball wildly to first base and right fielder Alex Rios followed suit with an errant throw back to the infield. Callaspo singled to move Norris to third, chasing Ross. Alexi Ogando entered for Texas and walked Reddick. After a fly out, Sogard singled up the middle to score Norris and give Oakland a 10-0 lead.
Ross wound up being charged with 10 runs, six of them earned, on 11 hits with one walk and two strikeouts, with his ERA jumping from 2.45 to 3.86.
Callaspo had an RBI single in the fifth that made it an 11-0 game and Crisp belted his third homer of the season in the sixth off reliever Shawn Tolleson.
Texas got its only run in the bottom of the eighth off reliever Luke Gregerson. Leonys Martin stroked a two-out single and Josh Wilson doubled to right-center.
Gregerson was charged with a run on two hits in his inning of work. Jim Johnson worked the ninth and allowed a hit and recorded a strikeout.
The A’s banged out 17 hits, with Norris and Callaspo each going 3-for-5 while Crisp, Gentry, Donaldson, Cespedes and Sogard each had two hits.
Texas’ lone hit off Chavez came in the bottom of the first, when Prince Fielder lined a single to center.
The A’s are off on Thursday before beginning an East Coast road trip in Boston on Friday night. Probable pitchers for Friday have not been announced.