OAKLAND — The Athletics snapped a three-game losing streak utilizing extra-base power and the luxury of using closer Mason Miller with a five-run lead in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday at the Coliseum.
Shea Langeliers drove in five runs with a homer, a homer, triple and double and Miller went the last two scoreless innings to preserve a 9-4 win against the Texas Rangers.
The Athletics, who also got home runs from Brett Harris (his third) and Brent Rooker (his ninth), improved to 18-20. Oakland had eight extra-base hits in all.
Winning pitcher J.P. Sears (3-2) was lifted by manager Mark Kotsay with a one-run lead and two outs in the sixth after giving up a single to Andrew Knizner. He gave up seven hits and four earned runs with a walk and three strikeouts. Sears threw 88 pitches, 56 of which were strikes.
“It was one of the grittier ones, one of thos edays you have to go in and feel OK with your body,” Sears said between games. “You hope that those are the days that the offense played like it did today. We had a lot of good defense today and were swinging the bats really well on our side.”
Miller, who was warming up to come in with a 6-4 lead, lost a save opportunity when Rooker hit a three-run home run, but he came on to finish off Texas after not having pitched since May 1 and a save against Pittsburgh.
Austin Adams pitched 1 1/3 innings as the set-up bridge to Miller. Miller retired the side in order in both innings with four strikeouts, getting Marcus Semien on a grounder to short to end it.
It was Miller’s third outing of two innings this season. He threw 32 pitches, the second-most he’s had in an outing, and 24 strikes.
Texas starter Michael Lorenzen (2-2) departed with a 6-4 deficit after six innings, giving up six earned runs with two walks and six strikeouts. The Rangers fell to 21-17. Cole Winn came on in the seventh, and after hitting Abraham Toro with a pitch and walking J.J. Bleday, served up a three-run home run to Rooker to put the Athletics up 9-4.
Langeliers’ fifth RBI — and seventh extra-base hit for the A’s — came on a triple in the sixth that brought in J.D. Davis, who had walked. However, Langeliers was stranded at third base when Max Schuemann grounded to short with the infield in, Esteury Ruiz struck out looking and Harris flied to left.
Harris, 3-for-18 on the home stand with two homers on the homestand since being recalled, hit his third home run to lead off the fifth to put the A’s up 5-4.
Langeliers had the third of three consecutive doubles in the fourth inning as the A’s tied the score 4-4. The first was by Brent Rooker to right center, and the second a windblown fly to right by J.D. Davis that Adolis Garcia played into a double to put runners at second and third. Langeliers jumped on the first pitch and lined it down the left field line to bring in both runners.
The Rangers went up 4-2 in the fourth on a first-pitch two-run home run by Tavares, their No. 9 hitter. Ezequiel Duren reached on an infield single to open the inning, and after Davis Wendzel was retired on a grounder, Schuemann speared a liner from Andrew Kninzer before Tavares delivered.
Langelier’s home run, a soaring 375-foot drive to left on a 2-2 pitch from Lorenzen, put the A’s up 2-1 in the second. It brought home Brent Rooker, who had singled.
Rook popped off pic.twitter.com/6sMHH7tdi8
— Oakland A’s (@Athletics) May 8, 2024
That lead was erased quickly and forcefully by Semien, whose line drive carried 412 feet into the staircase in left field to tie the score 2-2 and departed at 112.2 miles per hour.
The Rangers scored in the first against Sears but the damage was minimal considering how it started. Semien — who hit the first pitch of the game Tuesday for a homer — lined the first pitch against Sears into left field. Corey Seager walked and Brandon Lowe bounced a ball to short, with Schumann attempting to get Semien at third.
Semien beat the tag, loading the bases with no one out. Sears then got Adolis Garcia on an infield fly, Jonah Heim hit a sacrifice fly to right to bring in a run and Ezequiel Duran was retired on an infield out with just the one run scoring.
It was the second big game for Langeliers against Rangers, having hit three home runs in Texas earlier this season. He came in hitting .179 and a .237 on base percentage. It didn’t go unnoticed he was a single away from the cycle going into his last at-bat.
“I knew he was a single away,” Sears said. “That seems like the easiest one to get out of the four. Maybe he’ll get a single in Game 2.”
Hernaiz out indefinitely with ankle injury
The initial news wasn’t good on shortstop Darell Hernaiz, who was injured when he stepped awkwardly on first base and left the game Tuesday. Hernaiz is getting an MRI to determine the full extent of the damage and will consult a foot specialist.
“The timeline is unknown,” Kotsay said.
Schuemann will start at shortstop, but the A’s are limited in what they can do at the position with prospect Max Muncy sidelined with a hand injury and recently demoted Nick Allen on the injured list with an issue.
“We’ll have more time with the day off (Thursday)l to find out what direction we want to go,” Kotsay said.
Also called up was catcher Tyler Soderstrom, a top prospect who can also be the designated hitter and has played first base.
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Hogan Harris, who pitched 5 1/3 innings in the A’s 15-5 loss Monday, was sent back to Las Vegas. Left-handed Lucas Easton was promoted and Octavio Bido, who will start the game, was added as the 27th player allowed for a doubleheader.
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Utility player Aledmys Diaz, second baseman Zack Gelof and left-handed reliever Scott Alexander will join Triple-A Las Vegas in Round Rock (Texas) on rehab assignments. Diaz, whose injury has been long-term, will be brought along deliberately, according to Kotsay.