Piscotty homers, A’s keep rolling with 7-3 win over Rangers
By GIDEON RUBIN
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) _ Stephen Piscotty homered and Oakland rallied from an early three-run deficit to beat the Texas Rangers 7-3 on Sunday, the Athletics’ fourth straight win and sixth in seven games.
Matt Olson had two hits including a double for the A’s, who are 30 games over .500 (87-57) for the first time since closing out 2013 at 96-66. They’ve won nine of their last 10 against the Rangers.
Piscotty’s homer in the seventh inning was his career-high 23rd, surpassing his 2016 total with St. Louis.
Oakland trailed 3-0 when Olson doubled off Ariel Jurado (2-5) in a five-run fourth in which the A’s scored five runs on three hits, three walks, an error, a wild pitch and a passed ball. Ramon Laureano doubled in a run later in the inning.
Shawn Kelley (1-0) retired the only four batters he faced in relief of Trevor Cahill, who gave up three runs on two hits and six walks in 2 2/3 innings.
The A’s got another stellar performance from one of the best and deepest bullpens in the majors, with seven relievers combining for 6 1/3 scoreless innings of two-hit ball.
Oakland, which has a 15-man bullpen, used eight pitchers on Saturday and seven on Friday.
Texas dropped to a season-high 21 games below .500 (61-82) after its 10th loss in 13 games.
Jurado pitched behind Jeffrey Springs, who tossed three shutout innings of one-hit ball in an opening role. Jurado gave up four runs in two-thirds of an inning on four hits and two walks.
ADRIAN’S ADVANCE
Adrian Beltre, who was 1 for 4 with an RBI, needs one home run to tie Stan Musial and Willie Stargell (475) for 30th on the all-time list and one hit to tie George Brett (3,154) for 16th all-time. Beltre ranks 27th on the RBI list with 1,697.
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said he’ll try to get 39-year-old as many at-bats as he can.
“I don’t want to miss those moments, and I don’t want him to miss any of those moments,” Banister said.
MONTAS’ ROLE
Right-hander Frankie Montas is expected to be called up before the A’s open a six-game trip at Baltimore on Tuesday. He’ll be expected to absorb innings in a yet-to-be determined role. “It might be a game where we go with an opener, it might be a game where he pitches out of the bullpen, it might be a game where he starts. We’re not really sure yet,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We have a couple of openings on this road trip and we’re trying to sort through that.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: LHP Brett Anderson (sprained left forearm) checked out OK a day after throwing three simulated innings. He’s expected to move into the rotation soon. “I think it’s going to be sometime on this road trip, but I’m not sure which day,” Melvin said. … OF Nick Martini and RHP Ryan Dull were activated before Sunday’s game. … 2B Jed Lowrie got a rare day off.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Mike Minor (11-7, 4.31 ERA) will pitch Monday’s series opener against the Angels in Los Angeles.
Athletics: RHP Mike Fiers (11-6, 3.36) will pitch Tuesday’s series opener in Baltimore.
Moreland walks off Red Sox to avoid sweep by Astros
By KEN POWTAK
BOSTON (AP) _ Mitch Moreland singled in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Houston Astros 6-5 on Sunday night to avoid a three-game sweep in a matchup of AL division leaders.
J.D. Martinez hit his 40th homer and drove in four for Boston, which snapped Houston’s seven-game winning streak even after the Astros rallied with a four-run sixth inning to tie the game at 5.
The East-leading Red Sox sliced their magic number to 11 for their third straight division title. Boston leads the second-place Yankees by 8 1/2 games after they lost at Seattle.
Jose Altuve and Marwin Gonzalez each hit a solo homer for the West-leading Astros, who saw their lead over Oakland cut to 2 1/2 games. The Athletics beat Texas earlier in the day.
With runners on first and second, Moreland blooped a single to left against Hector Rondon (2-3), and pinch-runner Tzu-Wei Lin raced home easily. Gonzalez tried to barehand the ball in left field for a quick throw but lost his grip and let it dribble toward the Green Monster.
Craig Kimbrel (5-1) pitched a perfect ninth to preserve a tie.
Trailing 5-1 in the sixth, the Astros rallied against starter Rick Porcello and Boston’s recently struggling bullpen. Altuve led off with a shot over the
Monster, Tyler White had a two-run double off Heath Hembree, and Josh Reddick hit a tying double off Brian Johnson.
Boston had built its lead on Martinez’s three-run shot an inning earlier. Martinez’s sacrifice fly had pushed Boston ahead 2-1 in the third.
The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning, but reliever Tony Sipp entered and struck out pinch-hitters Blake Swihart and Christian Vazquez.
Porcello gave up four runs in 5 2/3 innings. Astros starter Dallas Keuchel allowed five in six innings.
LONG WAIT
There was a 3-minute, 50-second review of a key play at the plate where Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon jumped for a throw from shortstop Xander Bogaerts to get Altuve in the seventh. He was called out, and replays were inconclusive on if the tag was applied before he touched the plate with his left hand.
CLUB MILESTONE
Martinez became just the fourth Red Sox player to hit 40 homers in his first season with the team.
Dick Stuart had 42 in 1963, Jimmie Foxx 41 in ’36 and Manny Ramirez hit 41 in 2011.
HOUSTON INVASION
There was a large contingent of Astros fans wearing old and new-style team jerseys all weekend, filling Fenway Park, restaurants and bars in the area. The Houston Texans faced the New England Patriots about 45 minutes away in Foxborough, Massachusetts, earlier in the day.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Lefty Chris Sale is still set to be activated off the disabled list and start Tuesday. Manager Alex Cora said the plan is for the ace to go about
two innings the first time as he gradually works back from mild left shoulder inflammation that landed him on the DL twice in less than three weeks.
UP NEXT
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (14-9, 2.73 ERA) is scheduled to pitch in Detroit on Monday for the first time since being traded last season by the Tigers. LHP Francisco Liriano (4-9, 4.90) is slated to start for the Tigers.
Red Sox: After an off day, Sale (12-4, 1.97) is set to face Toronto LHP Ryan Borucki (3-4, 4.39) when the teams open a three-game series Tuesday at Fenway.