The Athletics had a three-run lead and a chance to create a little daylight in the AL West. One swing erased it.
Josh Jung’s two-run homer in the sixth inning flipped the game, and the Rangers rallied past the A’s 4-3 on Saturday at Globe Life Field. The loss dropped the Athletics to 14-13 and back into a tie for first place in the AL West with Texas.
Early control, then cracks
The Athletics built this game the right way early.
Darell Hernaiz opened the scoring with an RBI single in the second after Jacob Wilson doubled. Then in the third, Shea Langeliers singled, Nick Kurtz walked, and Colby Thomas drove in a run with a base hit to center.
Next, Wilson added a sacrifice fly, and the A’s had a 3-0 lead with traffic still on base.
However, they left that inning wanting more. The Athletics stranded two runners, and that missed chance showed up later.
Texas answered fast
The Rangers did not wait long to respond.
In the bottom of the third, Texas loaded the bases. Brandon Nimmo brought in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Corey Seager followed with a two-out RBI single to cut the lead to 3-2.
That sequence changed the tone. Instead of cruising, the Athletics were suddenly holding on.
The swing that flipped it
Jeffrey Springs held the line through five innings, but the sixth decided the game.
Seager singled to start the inning. Then with one out, Jung drove a 100.6 mph fastball out to right-center for a two-run homer. Just like that, the Rangers led 4-3.
Springs finished six innings, allowing four runs on five hits with four strikeouts. It was a solid start on paper, but one swing made it a losing line.
Late chances, no finish
The Athletics had opportunities to respond but could not convert.
Carlos Cortes doubled off Jakob Junis in the eighth as a pinch hitter. However, Jeff McNeil and Austin Wynns followed with outs, and the rally ended there.
Then in the ninth, the A’s went down quietly against Jacob Latz. Zack Gelof grounded out, Langeliers struck out, and Kurtz grounded out to end the game.
The Athletics finished 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base.
Numbers that mattered
The A’s had seven hits but struck out 10 times.
Langeliers went 2-for-5, and Wilson finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Hernaiz and Thomas each drove in a run, but the lineup could not add on after the third inning.
Texas had just five hits, but went 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left only four on base. That efficiency made the difference.
Only five American League teams are above .500 right now, and both the Athletics and Rangers are among them. Even so, this one tightened a race that had briefly opened.
Up next
The series rubber game is set for Sunday morning at Globe Life Field.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:35 a.m. PT. J.T. Ginn is expected to start for the Athletics against Kumar Rocker for Texas.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
