WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Shea Langeliers had four hits and Nick Kurtz drove in a run with a base hit his first time up in his major-league debut to help the Athletics beat Texas 5-2 Wednesday on a night that saw the Rangers' Joc Pederson end a 0-for-41 slump with a pinch-hit double.
Lawrence Butler homered — his fourth — to center field leading off the first on a 3-2 pitch from Rangers starter Kumar Rocker (1-3) to ignite a four-run outburst. Tyler Soderstrom doubled and scored on a hit by Langeliers. Kurtz, the fourth pick in last year's draft, made it 3-0 with a two-out single and Gio Urshela added an RBI double.
Rocker was done after a two-out walk to Soderstrom and a base hit by Langeliers in the second. Jacob Latz entered and walked JJ Bleday and Jacob Wilson to make it 5-0. Rocker allowed five runs on seven hits and a walk.
JP Sears (3-2) gave up two runs on five hits with a walk and five strikeouts over five innings for the Athletics. The 29-year-old left-hander is 5-1 all-time against Rangers and has won four straight against the club.
The Rangers scored on Wyatt Langford's sixth homer — a solo shot in the fourth. Kevin Pillar singled and scored on a groundout by Adolis García in the sixth.
Mason Miller allowed the Pederson double in the ninth before striking out the side for his seventh save.
The Rangers put SS Corey Seage r on the 10-day IL before the game after he suffered right hip discomfort during Wednesday's 8-5 victory.
The A's scored four runs in the first inning and are batting .304 in the first inning this season, third highest in MLB.
Key moment
Kurtz came through in his highly anticipated debut. The Athletics shifted Soderstrom to left field to make room for the 6-foot-5, 22-year-old first baseman out of Wake Forest.
Key stat
The Athletics won for just the third time in 11 games at Sutter Health Park — their temporary home.
Up next
RHP Jacob deGrom (0-1, 3.32) makes his fifth start for the Rangers in Thursday's rubber game of the three-game series against RHP J.T. Ginn (1-1, 3.60), making his third start for the Athletics.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
The Associated Press