Texas @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2018 ) Texas 4, Oakland 8

The Oakland Athletics may not capture first place in the American League West, but they have a firm grip on the second wild card and look to tighten it further when they host the Texas Rangers on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game series. Oakland trails division-leading Houston by 3 1/2 games but it owns a 6 1/2-game lead over Seattle for the wild card after posting an 8-4 triumph on Friday.

Ramon Laureano homered twice and Marcus Semien also went deep for the Athletics, who improved to 11-6 against Texas this season and 4-1 in their last five overall contests. The 24-year-old Laureano, who also belted two shots versus the Rangers on Aug. 20, has hit four of his five major-league homers against Texas. Joey Gallo went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs as the Rangers lost for the third time in their last four contests. The blast ended a nine-game drought for Gallo, who is six shy of matching the career high of 41 he set last season.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), NBCS California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Yohander Mendez (1-1, 5.59 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Edwin Jackson (5-3, 2.91)

Mendez registered his first career win in his second major-league start on Sunday, when he scattered three hits over a personal-best six scoreless innings against Minnesota. It was a far better effort by the 23-year-old Venezuelan than the one he put forth in his first turn on June 15, when he was battered for six runs and seven hits in three frames of a loss to Colorado. Mendez has made three career relief appearances against Oakland, yielding three runs and six hits with three walks and two strikeouts over seven frames.

Jackson halted his three-start winless streak on Sunday as he gave up just one run and three hits over six innings against Seattle. The 34-year-old journeyman has served up only nine homers over 74 1/3 frames in 13 outings this season and has kept the ball in the park in five of his last seven turns. Jackson fell to 2-4 with a 4.85 ERA in nine career starts against Texas after surrendering four runs on seven hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings on Aug. 22 at home.

WALK-OFFS

1. Semien has hit safely in eight of his last nine games after a 2-for-2 effort in the series opener.

2. Texas OF Nomar Mazara has gone 9-for-23 with three homers and seven RBIs in six contests this month.

3. Oakland recalled RHP Chris Bassitt, who allowed two runs and three hits in three innings of relief on Friday, from Triple-A Nashville.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Rangers 3