Graveman pitches Athletics past Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Oakland right-hander Kendall Graveman carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning as the Athletics topped the Texas Rangers 6-1.
Graveman (2-0) didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the seventh when Texas first baseman Mike Napoli lined the first pitch he saw to left center for a solo homer, his first since rejoining the Rangers. Texas second baseman Rougned Odor followed that with a single before Graveman got Jonathan Lucroy to line out to shortstop to end the inning.
That would be the last batter Graveman faced as he finished with five strikeouts and one walk in his seven innings. It also marked the second straight start in which he's carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Texas, having pitched six perfect innings last September before allowing a hit in the seventh.
The Rangers struggled to make good contact against Graveman all night. Their best bet for hits early were in the first inning when Carlos Gomez lined a shot to center that was run down by Rajai Davis and in the sixth inning when shortstop Marcus Semien made a nice play on an Elvis Andrus grounder.
Oakland gave Graveman a run to work with off Yu Darvish (0-1) in the sixth inning. Outfielder Matt Joyce worked his way back from an 0-2 count to draw a leadoff walk and he moved around to third when third baseman Ryon Healy followed with a double.
Catcher Stephen Vogt then scored Joyce with a grounder to second.
Darvish allowed just the one run on four hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked three.
Graveman got an insurance run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Rajai Davis off Tony Barnette. The A's added three more runs against the Texas bullpen in the eighth on an RBI double from Jed Lowrie and a two-run homer from Yonder Alonso. An RBI single from Semien in the ninth capped the scoring.
Lowrie accounted for three of the 10 Oakland hits. Santiago Casilla kept the two-hitter intact by following Graveman with perfect frames in the eighth and ninth.
NOTES: Texas RHP Andrew Cashner has had his rehab start Monday moved from Double-A Frisco to extended spring training in Arizona because of the chance of rain in Texas. ... Oakland 3B Trevor Plouffe was a late scratch Saturday because of an illness. The A's inserted Mark Canha into the lineup at designated hitter and Ryon Healy started at third. ... Texas OF Nomar Mazara went 0-for-3, ending his streak of multi-hit games at four.