ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mark Mathias hit his second homer of the game, a solo shot with one out in the bottom of the ninth, as the Texas Rangers rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Oakland Athletics 8-7 on Tuesday night.
Mathias had three extra-base hits and drove in four runs. Adolis Garcia added a two-run homer and had three RBIs for Texas.
Mathias hit his decisive homer to left off Joel Payamps (3-5), who came on in the ninth.
Brock Burke (7-3), the last of three Texas pitchers, threw two scoreless innings to earn the win.
Rookie Dermis Garcia had a three-run home run in the first inning and had a run-scoring double in the fifth while setting a career high with four RBIs for the A’s.
Texas rallied from a 7-2 deficit with three runs in the fifth and two in the seventh.
Cristian Pache hit a two-run single to cap a three-run third inning for the A’s.
After Dermis Garcia staked Oakland to a 3-0 lead, the Rangers answered with two runs in the first on RBI doubles by Adolis Garcia and rookie Josh Jung.
Jung, brought up from Triple-A Round Rock on Friday, has a Texas record five extra-base hits in his first six major league games.
The Rangers’ Marcus Semien hit a career-high three doubles for his third three-hit game in September.
Oakland’s Chad Pinder had his third three-hit game of the season, his first since July 17.
Neither rookie starter seeking his first major league win figured in the decision.
A’s left-hander Waldichuk allowed five runs in five innings in his third major league start. He matched his high of six strikeouts with one walk.
Rangers left-hander Cole Ragans gave up seven runs in four-plus innings. Ragans, who made his major league debut on Aug. 4, has allowed five homers in five starts.
TRAVEL WOES
In a whirlwind three days, the Rangers were home on Sunday afternoon, played a day-night doubleheader in Miami on Monday, and were back home on Tuesday night.
Following flights on consecutive nights, Rangers shortstop Corey Seager was given the night off, missing his first game since late July. Rookie utilityman Josh Smith made his first major league start at shortstop.
UP NEXT
Athletics LHP J.P. Sears (5-2, 3.33 ERA) will face Rangers RHP Dane Dunning (3-8, 4.39) in Wednesday night’s finale of the two-game set. Sears gave up six runs (and three home runs) in two innings losing to the Chicago White Sox in his previous start. Dunning beat the A’s on Aug. 18 with one of his 10 quality starts (two runs in six innings).
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