Rangers 7, Athletics 2
Adrian Beltre homered for the third straight game and the Texas Rangers maintained their five-game lead in the American League West with a 7-2 victory over the host Oakland Athletics on Tuesday.
Beltre hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Derek Holland (15-5) pitched seven solid innings as the Rangers reduced their magic number to four over the Los Angeles Angels with eight games remaining.
The Rangers also pulled into a tie for the second-best record in the American League with the Detroit Tigers, who lost to the Kansas City Royals 10-2 on Tuesday.
Michael Young went 3-for-5 with two RBIs to top 200 hits for the sixth time in his career and set a career-high with 104 RBIs as Texas won for the seventh time in eight games.
Holland gave up one run and two hits while winning for the ninth time in 10 decisions. He struck out seven and walked three.
Michael Taylor’s first major-league homer in the fifth represented the only blemish against Holland. Coco Crisp homered in the ninth off Rangers reliever Michael Kirkman.
Beltre has hit eight homers since Sept. 10, with four coming against the Athletics. He has 28 overall.
Oakland’s Rich Harden (4-4) lasted three innings and gave up six runs (five earned) and seven hits. Harden is winless in his last five outings.