Joc Pederson stroked the tiebreaking single in a four-run ninth inning as the Texas Rangers notched a 9-6 victory over the Athletics on Thursday afternoon in West Sacramento, Calif.
Josh Jung smacked a two-run homer among his three hits and Ezequiel Duran had two hits and two RBIs as the Rangers earned a split of the four-game series with their American League West rivals.
Nick Kurtz’s three-run double in the bottom of the eighth gave the Athletics the lead before Texas sent nine batters to plate in the ninth. Duran added a two-run single in the inning.
Jacob Wilson had a two-run single for the Athletics while Shea Langeliers reached base five times on two hits and three walks. Lawrence Butler, Carlos Cortes, Kurtz and Wilson also had two hits for the A’s.
Cal Quantrill (1-0) pitched the bottom of the ninth and was credited with the victory for Texas.
The Rangers took a 5-3 lead in the seventh when Jung hit a seemingly harmless fly to the opposite field in right, but on a day with fierce winds blowing, the ball carried just over the short wall.
The A’s got two breaks while scoring three times in the bottom of eighth. Duran lost Butler’s pop-up in the sun for an infield single, and the bases were later loaded with two outs when Jacob Latz entered to face Kurtz.
Kurtz hit a shallow pop fly to left that blew toward the line and fell in front of Wyatt Langford. The double cleared the bases to give the A’s a 6-5 edge.
In the ninth, Burger and Jung singled off Justin Sterner (0-2) to start the inning. Kyle Higashioka bunted, Sterner fielded it and threw high to third and Burger scored to tie the game.
Pederson followed with a single to center to give Texas a 7-6 lead before Duran made it a three-run margin.
Jacob Lopez allowed two runs and three hits over five innings for the Athletics. He struck out five and walked four.
Jack Leiter gave up three runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings for the Rangers. He struck out three and walked three.
The A’s scored three runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. Wilson dropped a two-run single to right to tie the score. He then stole second and scored on Cortes’ run-scoring single to right.
Texas tied the score at 3 in the sixth when Pederson drew a one-out, pinch-hit walk and scored on a two-out double by Josh Smith.
Texas struck in the third when Duran hit a one-out double to left and scored on Brandon Nimmo’s single.
The Rangers made it 2-0 in the fifth when Lopez walked the bases full with one out before Burger’s sacrifice fly scored Duran.
