Texas @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 29, 2010 ) Oakland 8, Texas 2

One team’s late-inning collapse and the other team’s extra-inning victory means the American League West race could be decided during a four-game series between the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics that begins Thursday.

The A’s were one out away from defeating the Chicago White Sox before allowing two runs in the ninth and losing on Wednesday. Hours later, the Rangers eked out a 12-inning victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

The crucial two-game swing puts Texas eight games ahead of Oakland with 11 games to play. The Rangers can clinch the American League West by splitting the four-game series in Oakland.

Texas last won a division title in 1999 and the Rangers had lost four of five games before Wednesday’s victory over the Angels.

Even with the 2-1 win, the Rangers’ offense is struggling badly without injured outfielder Josh Hamilton, the American League’s leading hitter with a .361 average. Texas has scored just 14 runs in the first six games of a 10-game road trip, averaging just 2.3 runs per game.

Hamilton broke two ribs while crashing into the wall against Minnesota on Sept. 4 and it has yet to be determined when he can return. Hamilton hopes to return prior to the postseason so he can get a few at-bats in against live pitching.

Left-hander Cliff Lee starts for the Rangers and has been spectacular in his last two outings after an uncharacteristic stretch of five tough outings.

Lee has given up just two runs and eight hits in his last 16 innings while beating the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners. Prior to the back-to-back victories, Lee went 0-3 with two no-decisions while allowing 27 earned runs in 29 1/3 innings.

Lee is 12-8 with a 3.19 earned-run average and has a 5-2 career mark with a 2.14 ERA against Oakland.

Lee has allowed just one earned run in 17 innings against the Athletics this season.

Oakland counters with struggling lefty Dallas Braden, who has lost four straight starts to see his record drop to 9-13. Braden has a 3.65 ERA.

Braden is 1-2 with a 2.86 ERA in three starts against Texas this season.

Oakland’s devastating loss to the White Sox occurred without stellar closer Andrew Bailey, who is sidelined with an elbow injury. Brad Ziegler was forced into the closer’s role with Bailey and Michael Wuertz (thumb) out but was unable to seal the deal.

First baseman Daric Barton was held out of Wednesday’s game after banging his knee in a collision with Chicago catcher A.J. Pierzynski the previous night. Barton is batting just .226 in September after hitting .311 in August.