Field Level Media
Aug 8, 2021
Starling Marte continued his remarkable hitting since joining the Oakland Athletics with four more hits and Seth Brown smacked a home run Sunday afternoon as the American League West second-place team completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Texas Rangers with a 6-3 victory.
Right-hander James Kaprielian (6-4) came off the injured list to combine with four relievers on a four-hitter, helping the A's complete a 4-1 homestand that began with an 8-1 loss to the San Diego Padres.
Marte's 4-for-5 success in the series finale gave him five multi-hit outings in the nine games since he was acquired from the Miami Marlins for Jesus Luzardo. He went 8-for-15 in the Texas series with a double, a home run, five RBIs, three runs scored and two steals.
Marte is now hitting .425 as a member of the A's.
His bunt single triggered a three-run Oakland first after the Rangers had used back-to-back doubles by Adolis Garcia and Nathaniel Lowe in the top of the inning to get a 1-0 jump on Kaprielian.
Jed Lowrie had an RBI single and Sean Murphy a two-run double to account for Oakland's scoring in the first.
Brown's homer, his 13th of the season, led off the fourth. The A's added another in the inning when Rangers starter Jordan Lyles (5-9) walked Lowrie with the bases loaded.
Marte had an RBI single in the sixth to complete Oakland's scoring and ended Lyles' day after 5 1/3 innings. He was charged with six runs on 10 hits, with four walks and four strikeouts.
The Rangers chipped away at the Oakland advantage when Isiah Kiner-Falefa tripled and scored in the sixth, and later homered in the eighth. The solo shot was his seventh of the season.
A's closer Lou Trivino pitched around a one-out walk in the ninth to notch his 18th save, protecting a three-run lead.
Kaprielian, who had experienced shoulder discomfort in his previous start, threw 84 pitches in six innings, during which he allowed two runs and three hits. He walked two and struck out four.
Mark Canha and Josh Harrison chipped in with two hits apiece for the A's, who will see the Rangers for three more games in Texas in the upcoming week as part of a 10-game trip.
The Rangers totaled just 17 hits in the sweep, which extended their losing streak to six games.
--Field Level Media