Leody Taveras’ bases-loaded, walk-off single gave the Texas Rangers a 3-2 win over the Oakland A’s on Saturday night in the second of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
A’s rookie reliever Tyler Ferguson (2-2) took the loss in the ninth after striking out the side in order in the eighth with the score tied at 2.
Ferguson hit Nathaniel Lowe with a pitch to lead off the ninth. Carson Kelly then blooped a single to right and Ferguson walked Travis Jankowski with one out to load the bases before Taveras’ single up the middle.
“I was just trying to put the ball in play,” Taveras said postgame.
The Rangers, who also got a two-run homer from Jonah Heim in the second to take an early lead, evened the series with their fourth victory in five games. Oakland had won four of five, including the series opener, 9-2.
Lawrence Butler went 2-for-4 with a homer — his sixth in five games — for the A’s. Brent Rooker added a game-tying RBI double in the sixth.
Rangers lefty Cody Bradford gave up two runs on four hits with no walks and a career-high-tying eight strikeouts in seven innings.
Texas closer Kirby Yates (6-2) escaped trouble in the top of the ninth, getting Daz Cameron to fly out with two on to end the inning. David Robertson threw a scoreless eighth for Texas.
A’s rookie right-hander Joey Estes allowed two runs on six hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in six innings. Oakland’s Grant Holman tossed a scoreless seventh.
After Lowe reached with a one-out single to left field, Heim homered to right on a high fastball to give Texas a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
Butler led off the fourth with his 20th homer, a low liner that just cleared the right field wall. It trimmed Texas’ lead to 2-1.
Butler hit a double to deep center over Taveras with one out in the sixth. Rooker followed with a double that brought in Butler to even the score at 2.
–Field Level Media
