Oakland, CA (Best E Casino) - Jack Cust hit a two-run home run and Kurt Suzuki added a three-run shot, as the
Oakland Athletics edged the
Texas Rangers, 6-5, in the finale of a three-game set.
Jack Hannahan went 2-for-4 with a double, scored and drove in a run for the A's, who despite the win are still just 2-8 over their last 10 games.
Starter Dana Eveland lasted 4 2/3 innings and yielded five runs on eight hits. Jerry Blevins (1-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief to get the win and Huston Street picked up his 18th save with a perfect ninth.
Brad Ziegler gave up two singles in two shutout innings to extend his scoreless streak to 27 innings to begin his career. The stretch broke the previous mark of 25 innings to start a career held by Phillies' righty George McQuillan, which was set in 1907.
"Honestly, I don't know if that's something I'd ever thought I'd have to do as long as it wasn't a real embarrassing moment or someone else's highlight, but it's pretty incredible," Ziegler said.
Eric Hurley (1-2), who was activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the game, took the loss as he was touched for six runs on four hits and two walks in two innings of work.
"He said he was missing his spots so we just got to keep working and see how it goes the next time he gets the baseball," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Certainly it didn't work out today. He did look like he was pitching tentative and then in his last inning he looked like he started letting it go."
Hank Blalock was 2-for-4 with a three-run double for the Rangers, who lost for the third time in the last five games. Milton Bradley drove in the other run for Texas.
Texas got on the board in the first inning as a Bradley double scored Michael Young from first.
Ryan Sweeney clubbed a two-out base hit in the home first and Cust followed with a long homer to right, as the A's assumed a 2-1 lead.
Oakland tacked on more runs in the second. With one out, Bobby Crosby worked a walk. Wes Bankston then went down swinging, but Hannahan golfed an RBI double into right field. Eric Patterson kept it going with a walk before Suzuki belted a homer to left, giving the A's a 6-1 lead.
The Rangers rallied to the tune of four runs in the fifth frame. Ian Kinsler singled and Young walked with one out before Josh Hamilton went down swinging for the second out.
Bradley was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Suzuki was charged with a passed ball, scoring Kinsler and advancing the runners. Marlon Byrd loaded the bases with a free pass and Blalock crushed a three-run double off the wall in right to make it a one-run game.
Game Notes
Before Hurley made his trip to the DL, the young right-hander was 1-1 in four starts with a 3.57 ERA. The last time Hurley took the hill he squared off against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing just one run on five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings of work. The Rangers went on to collect a 5-1 victory, giving Hurley his first big league win...Since the beginning of the 2006 season the Rangers hold a slight 28-22 edge over the Athletics.