Field Level Media
Jul 23, 2018
Jonathan Lucroy's fourth career grand slam ignited an 18-hit assault on Cole Hamels and four Texas Rangers relievers Monday night, and the surging Oakland Athletics opened a seven-game trip with a 15-3 romp in Arlington, Texas.
Stephen Piscotty, Matt Chapman and Khris Davis also homered for the A's, who won for the 24th time in their past 31 games.
Left-hander Brett Anderson (2-2) benefitted from Oakland's third-largest run total of the season, coasting through six innings for the win. He allowed two runs and six hits while striking out six and walking one.
In a scoreless game, Matt Olson led off the Oakland second with a walk. After one-out singles by Chapman and Mark Canha, Lucroy launched his second homer of the season over the fence in center field, giving the A's a lead they never relinquished.
Piscotty added a two-run homer in the fifth, Chapman a three-run shot in a six-run seventh and Davis a solo blast in the eighth. The A's ran their major-league-leading home run total in road games to 89.
The homers were the 13th of the season for Piscotty, the 11th for Chapman and the 24th for Davis, who belted a pair Sunday against the San Francisco Giants.
Hamels (5-9) was pulled after five innings, having allowed seven runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out five.
The subject of recent trade rumors and with several scouts observing from the stands, Hamels was bombed for the four consecutive start. He has now allowed 21 earned runs and 28 hits in 17 innings during July.
Olson scored three times while Chapman finished with four RBIs, Piscotty three and Davis two for the A's, who won their third straight.
Eight of Oakland's nine offensive starters collected at least two hits apiece. Only All-Star Jed Lowrie went hitless.
Outfielder Ryan Rua made his major league pitching debut for Texas in the ninth inning, retiring the side on just eight pitches.
Elvis Andrus had a two-run homer, his third of the season, for the Rangers, who have lost 13 of their past 17 games.
Jurickson Profar added two hits for Texas, which allowed 10 or more runs for the ninth time this season.
--Field Level Media