A’s Start Road Trip Right, Beat Rangers 2-1

A bit close but the good guys pulled through

The A’s managed to steal a win on Monday evening against the Rangers, marching into Texas and winning the first game of the four-game series against their division rivals 2-1.

On the mound for the A’s tonight was left-hander JP Sears making his sixth start of the season. He entered this contest on an absolute roll as his 3.21 ERA led the entire starting rotation and all but one of his outings were quality starts. He kept that streak up tonight against a Rangers offense desperately looking for a breakout. Over the game’s first five innings Sears was dealing allowing only three singles and a walk while keeping Texas off balance and confused. He also collected four strikeouts along the way.

The Athletics meanwhile were going up against a different lefty in Patrick Corbin. The veteran has found the fountain of youth in the early going with his new team and he just beat the A’s in his last start so the team wanted a big of revenge.

It took a while but the A’s eventually got to Corbin and took the lead. A fifth inning rally consisting of a double and walk put runners on the corners for Tyler Soderstrom and he made Texas pay with a 2-run double to give the Athletics the lead:

That was RBI’s #23 and #24 for Soderstrom this year. He’s now slashing .291/.358/.582 with nine long balls, which he’s been stuck at for the last 10 games. Who wants to bet he breaks that dry spell in Arlington?

Texas finally broke through against tiring Sears in the bottom of the sixth. A double and 2-out RBI single ended the lefty’s day after 89 pitches, departing on a down note but still with a lead and in line for his fourth win.

-JP Sears: 5 ²⁄₃ IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 89 pitches

That’s yet another quality start from Sears as he continues his strong season. He dropped his season ERA down to 2.94 and gave the club every chance to win this one. All the A’s would have to do is not give away the lead.

Right-hander Mitch Spence finished off the sixth for Sears and finished the frame but not before loading the bases and causing a little drama. He escaped unscathed and with the lead still intact. Spence came out for another inning had an easier 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh before making way for Tyler Ferguson in the eighth. The set up man had an uneventful and perfect eighth, paving the way for All-Star closer Mason Miller to shut the door. And that’s just what he did, ending any comeback attempt with a groundout to finish the game and secure his ninth save of the year.

That’s a good way to start a road trip. Sears was terrific yet again tonight in his fourth win and he continues to show impressive growth in his third season in an Athletics uniform. Soderstrom came through with the big hit for the A’s and it was just enough to put the team over the hump and secure the win while the bullpen did its job with 3 ¹⁄₃ scoreless frames.

The A’s now have a winning record! The team sits at 15-14 which is tied with the Rangers and good enough for third place in the AL West. The A’s will be looking to build off tonight’s win tomorrow evening and make it three straight wins when these teams square off for the second of four matchups in this series. The A’s have yet to announce who will go for them tomorrow evening but signs point towards lefty Jacob Lopez getting his first start of the year with the A’s. Whoever the Athletics turn to will be going up against an impressive and intimidating name in future Hall of Fame right-hander Jacob deGrom. Let’s hope they’re ready for that matchup.