Field Level Media
Apr 23, 2018
Marcus Semien slugged Kevin Jepsen's first pitch of the ninth inning for a tiebreaking home run Monday night, triggering a six-run uprising that gave the Oakland Athletics a 9-4 win over the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game series at Arlington, Texas.
Matt Chapman had a run-scoring triple and pinch hitter Jake Smolinski a two-run triple in the ninth, during which the A's sent 10 batters to the plate against two Rangers relievers.
The win was Oakland's seventh in its past eight games. The A's have scored eight or more runs in four of those wins.
Robinson Chirinos had a two-run, game-tying home run, his third long ball of the season, in the fourth inning for the Rangers. Texas has lost five of its past seven and three of four to start a six-game homestand.
After Semien's third homer of the season, the A's led 4-3 with two outs and one runner aboard in the ninth before Chapman's triple made it 5-3.
After Matt Olson was intentionally walked, Mark Canha greeted Jesse Chavez with a single that plated Chapman for a three-run lead.
Smolinski then tripled to break the game open at 8-3, and Jonathan Lucroy followed with an RBI single that completed the Oakland scoring.
Ryan Buchter (1-0), who got the final out of the eighth inning with the score tied at 3-3, got the win. He also recorded the first out in the ninth before Chris Hatcher entered to close the victory, surrendering one run.
Jepsen (0-3), who entered the game with a 1.69 ERA, took the loss. He yielded four runs in one inning.
Khris Davis had a two-run double for the A's, who have totaled 78 runs in their past 11 games.
Semien, Jed Lowrie, Olson, Canha and Chad Pinder had two hits apiece for Oakland, which out-hit Texas 14-7 in the opener of a nine-game trip.
Delino DeShields had two of the Rangers' seven hits.
Neither starting pitcher got a decision.
Oakland's Trevor Cahill allowed four hits and three runs in five innings. He walked two and struck out six.
The Rangers' Matt Moore also went five innings, giving up three runs and seven hits. He walked two and struck out two.
--Field Level Media