Field Level Media
Sep 8, 2018
Matt Olson hit Chris Martin's second pitch of the eighth inning for a tiebreaking home run Saturday afternoon, lifting the Oakland Athletics to an 8-6 win over the Texas Rangers in Oakland, Calif.
The win allowed the A's (86-57) to keep pace with Houston (89-53) atop the American League West. The Astros, who retained a 3 1/2-game lead, beat the Boston Red Sox for the second consecutive day on Saturday.
After Adrian Beltre's second home run of the day for the Rangers, a two-run shot, tied the score at 6-6 in the top of the eighth, Olson wasted no time putting Oakland back on top, this time for good.
The homer was his 25th of the season.
Matt Chapman's two-out double, also off Martin (1-4), increased the Oakland advantage to 8-6, setting the stage for closer Blake Treinen to throw a comfortable 1-2-3 ninth for his 37th save.
Left-hander Ryan Buchter (4-0), who came on to strike out Joey Gallo to end the top of the eighth, was credited with the win.
Beltre also homered for the Rangers in the second inning after Khris Davis had given the A's a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run shot, his 41st of the season.
Beltre's multiple-homer game, the 33rd of his career, brought his season total to 12.
His first homer came off A's starter Edwin Jackson, who lasted just three innings. He was roughed up for four runs and five hits. He walked one and struck out five.
Rangers starter Yohander Mendez left with a 4-2 lead after four innings. He gave up the two runs on just one hit with three walks. He struck out three.
Chad Pinder also homered, his 11th of the season, for the A's, who won their third straight.
Jonathan Lucroy scored twice and had two hits, as did Chapman, as Oakland improved to 12-6 against Texas this season.
Jurickson Profar added a homer, his 16th, for the Rangers, who lost their third straight.
Beltre finished with three RBIs, while Nomar Mazara had two on a pair of hits.
--Field Level Media