Jeff McNeil had a season-high four hits and three RBIs, including a tiebreaking homer, as the Athletics notched an 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday in West Sacramento, Calif.
Lawrence Butler also went deep and Carlos Cortes laced a three-run double as the A’s won for just the fourth time in the past 19 games. McNeil contributed two doubles and a single as the Athletics halted an eight-game home losing streak.
Jake Burger slugged a three-run homer for Texas, which lost its fourth straight contest and fell for the fifth time in six games. Ezequiel Duran had two of the Rangers’ four hits.
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson exited in the bottom of the second inning with a left hand contusion. He was plunked in the bottom of the first inning by a pitch from Rangers starter Kumar Rocker.
McNeil came up with two outs in the sixth and smacked a tiebreaking homer to right off Chase Silseth (3-3) to give the A’s a 4-3 edge. The shot traveled 400 feet.
One inning later, Butler drilled a 411-foot homer to center against Robby Ahlstrom. Butler has homered in three consecutive games.
The Athletics broke the game open in the eighth. Tommy White led off with a pinch-hit single and Jonah Heim walked before Henry Bolte laid down a bunt in front of the plate. Texas catcher Elias Diaz threw wildly to third, and White scored to give the A’s a 6-3 advantage.
McNeil followed with a two-run double to right, making it a five-run margin.
Athletics rookie Gage Jump gave up three runs and three hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out one.
Luis Medina (3-3) followed Jump and pitched 1 1/3 hitless frames.
Rocker allowed three runs and four hits over five innings. He walked five and fanned three.
The Athletics quickly jumped ahead in the opening inning.
Rocker hit Wilson with the pitch with one out, and Tyler Soderstrom’s single and Zack Gelof’s walk loaded the bases. After Butler struck out, Cortes ripped a bases-clearing double into the gap in right-center.
The Rangers didn’t have a hit until Evan Carter reached on an infield single with one out in the fifth.
One inning later, Corey Seager drew a one-out walk and Duran followed with an infield single. Burger then hammered Jump’s full-count fastball 428 feet to left-center for his 20th of the season, knotting the score at 3.
–Field Level Media
