Athletics at Rangers
After moving over .500 for the first time since opening the season with a victory, the surging Oakland Athletics continue their three-game series against the host Texas Rangers on Tuesday. Marcus Semien belted a tie-breaking homer in Monday’s 9-4 victory as the Athletics collected 14 hits and won for the seventh time in their last eight contests.
Oakland (12-11) sealed its third straight win Monday with six runs in the ninth inning, highlighted by Jake Smolinski’s two-run triple off the fifth Texas reliever of the night, former Athletic Jesse Chavez. Khris Davis continued his hot streak with a two-run double to open the scoring in the third inning, giving him a hit in 11 of his last 12 games. Texas halted its three-game slide on Sunday with a victory over Seattle but fell to 0-8 in series openers on Monday when its beleaguered bullpen faltered late in the game. Kevin Jepsen allowed four runs in one inning of relief while the heart of the Rangers’ order - Shin-Soo Choo, Nomar Mazara, Adrian Beltre and Joey Gallo – went a combined 2-for-15 with five strikeouts.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Andrew Triggs (1-0, 5.82 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Cole Hamels (1-3, 4.76)
Triggs is looking to bounce back from a dismal outing Wednesday, when he gave up six runs on five hits and two walks before exiting after 1 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old had been sharp in his previous three starts, allowing two or fewer runs in each outing. Triggs gave up one run and struck out seven over five innings in a start against Texas on April 2 and owns a 1-0 record and 1.02 ERA in four career games (three starts) against the Rangers.
Hamels has never finished the month of April with four losses in his 13 professional seasons but is in danger of reaching that mark following a rocky start against Tampa Bay on Wednesday. The 34-year-old San Diego native retired 15 of the first 17 batters he faced but exited after allowing four runs over 6 1/3 innings. Davis is 4-for-13 with three home runs against Hamels, who is 3-3 with a 4.11 ERA in eight career starts against Oakland.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers are 3-11 at home and 5-5 on the road.
2. Oakland is batting .301 and averaging 7.2 runs over the past 11 games.
3. Texas 2B Rougned Odor (hamstring) has begun agility drills and is expected to come off the disabled list during the first week of May.