Rangers 8, A's 6
OAKLAND, Calif. -- First baseman Mitch Moreland hit his career-high-tying 23rd home run of the season, and the Texas Rangers rallied to defeat the Oakland A's 8-6 Tuesday night at the O.co Coliseum.
Texas increased its lead in the American League West to two games over the Houston Astros.
The Rangers (81-69) trailed 5-3 entering the sixth inning, but they scored three times to take a 6-5 lead.
Left fielder Mike Napoli led off with an infield single, and Moreland launched a two-run shot over the center field fence, pulling the Rangers even and knocking left-hander Sean Nolin out of the game.
The home run was Moreland's 14th of his career against the A's, the most he has hit against any team. Moreland has 10 of those homers at the pitcher-friendly Coliseum, more than at any other road stadium. Moreland's blast Tuesday was his career-high fifth against a left-hander.
Shortstop Elvis Andrus continued the rally with a hard comebacker off of reliever Drew Pomeranz's foot, reaching safely with an infield single. Andrus moved to second when A's first baseman Mark Canha booted Rougned Odor's drag bunt. Catcher Chris Gimenez advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, and center fielder Delino DeShields hit a sacrifice fly, giving Texas a 6-5 lead.
The Rangers added two runs in the eighth. Andrus hit a one-out double, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Odor's single. Odor moved to third on Gimenez's ground-rule double and scored on DeShields' sacrifice fly.
Moreland went 3-for-4 with a walk. DeShields went 1-for-2, scored twice and drove in two runs with a pair of sacrifice flies. Andrus had two hits in four at-bats and scored twice. Third baseman Adrian Beltre had a single and a double and drove in two runs.
Rangers left-hander Martin Perez lasted only four innings and got a no-decision. He gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits, struck out three and walked three.
Right-hander Chi Chi Rodriguez (4-5) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Perez for the win, and Keone Kela pitched a scoreless seventh. Jake Diekman and Sam Dyson blanked Oakland in the eighth.
Texas closer Shawn Tolleson gave up a run in the ninth, as Canha hit a one-out double and third baseman Danny Valencia singled him home with two outs. However, Tolleson retired designated hitter Billy Butler on a game-ending ground ball to record his 33rd save.
Nolin gave up five runs on seven hits over five innings and got a no-decision. Pomeranz (5-6) took the loss, giving up an unearned run in his lone inning.
Left fielder Jake Smolinski and shortstop Marcus Semien had RBI triples for the A's. Canha had two hits, including a double.
The Rangers scored a run in the first as DeShields worked a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and raced home on Beltre's single.
Oakland countered with three runs in the second. Right fielder Josh Reddick walked with one out, and Smolinski brought him home with a triple to left-center. Semien followed with the Athletics' 40th triple of the season, tying the Oakland record set in 1968.
The A's hadn't had back-to-back triples since July 26, 1992, when Willie Wilson and Mike Bordick accomplished the feat against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Catcher Carson Blair walked, moved to second on a fielder's choice and scored on Canha's two-out single, increasing Oakland's lead to 3-1.
The A's added a run in the fourth as Valencia walked and later scored from third with one out on Smolinski's ground ball to second.
Texas cut Oakland's lead to 4-3 with two runs in the fourth. Gimenez led off with a walk and went to third on a single to right by DeShields, who took second on Reddick's throw. Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo and Beltre lined back-to-back sacrifice flies to center field.
The A's took advantage of errors by Beltre and Napoli to score an unearned run in the fifth, increasing their lead to 5-3.
NOTES: Oakland LHP Barry Zito will start Saturday against San Francisco and face RHP Tim Hudson, his former A's teammate. Zito pitched for the Giants from 2007-13. He will face San Francisco for the first time since his seven-season stint with the team. ... Rangers LHP Cole Hamels will pitch Thursday against Oakland instead of in the opener of a three-game series Friday at Houston. With the change, Hamels will be able to make three more regular-season starts, instead of two, if needed. ... Texas RHP Yovani Gallardo will start Friday against the Astros, with LHP Derek Holland pitching Saturday and LHP Martin Perez on Sunday. ... A's RHP Chris Bassitt (sore right shoulder) will return to the rotation Thursday against Texas, making his first start since Aug. 26. RHP Sonny Gray's scheduled start was moved back one day to Friday. ... A's C Josh Phegley (concussion) will not play again this season, manager Bob Melvin said.