Jeff McNeil gave the Athletics exactly what they needed Friday night.
McNeil went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs from the leadoff spot, helping the A’s beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 at Sutter Health Park.
The Athletics scored three runs in the first inning, watched Texas erase the lead in the sixth, then answered with five unanswered runs.
Meanwhile, Gage Jump delivered another strong outing in what has become an increasingly compelling rookie season.
The win moved the A’s to 48-74.
Jump nearly gets through six
Jump held Texas scoreless through five innings and carried a three-run lead into the sixth.
He allowed just three hits in 5 1/3 innings, but his command was less sharp than in some recent outings. Jump walked four and struck out one while throwing 101 pitches.
The trouble came late in his night.
After retiring Brandon Nimmo to open the sixth, Jump walked Corey Seager and allowed a single to Ezequiel Duran.
Then Jake Burger hit Jump’s 101st pitch over the center-field wall for a three-run homer that tied the game at 3.
That ended Jump’s outing.
Even so, the larger body of work was solid. He kept Texas off the scoreboard for five innings and gave the Athletics a chance to control the game before the sixth-inning swing.
McNeil answers immediately
The A’s did not stay tied for long.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, McNeil drove a solo homer to right field off Chase Silseth. The 400-foot shot gave the Athletics a 4-3 lead.
Then Lawrence Butler added another run in the seventh with his 10th homer of the season.
McNeil was not finished.
In the eighth, Tommy White singled and Jonah Heim walked before Henry Bolte reached on a fielder’s choice and throwing error. White scored on the play.
McNeil followed with a two-run double to right, scoring Heim and Bolte and pushing the lead to 8-3.
The veteran first baseman finished with four hits and three RBIs. He also doubled twice and homered, accounting for nine total bases.
Cortes sets the tone
The Athletics had taken control early.
Jacob Wilson was hit by a pitch in the first, Tyler Soderstrom singled and Zack Gelof walked to load the bases.
Then Carlos Cortes lined a two-out, bases-clearing double to right.
That gave the A’s a 3-0 lead before Jump ever returned to the mound for the second inning.
The offense finished with nine hits and seven walks. It also went 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Bullpen closes it out
Luis Medina relieved Jump and steadied the game immediately.
Medina worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings and earned the win. Drew Rom, Elvis Alvarado and Hogan Harris followed.
Together, the four relievers allowed just one hit over 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
That was especially important after recent late-inning problems had cost the Athletics games.
Kurtz unlikely to return
The win came with more discouraging injury news for the Athletics.
Nick Kurtz is unlikely to return this season because of his injured right thumb.
Manager Mark Kotsay said Kurtz must remain in a brace for four weeks after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection Aug. 4. That timeline makes a return before the end of September difficult to envision.
Kurtz is batting .256 with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs this season.
He returned from the injured list in late July and went 1-for-18 over seven games. Kurtz then received the PRP injection Aug. 4 and now faces another extended stretch without mobility in the thumb.
Up next
The Athletics continue the series Saturday against Texas.
J.T. Ginn starts for the A’s at 8-6 with a 3.41 ERA. The Rangers counter with left-hander MacKenzie Gore, who enters at 6-9 with a 4.43 ERA.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, 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.
