Carlos Cortes delivered a two-run triple in the first inning and the Athletics held on to beat the Texas Rangers 2-1 in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.
Cortes also had a pair of singles for the Athletics, who moved two games over .500 and took a one-game lead over the Rangers atop the American League West standings.
Athletics starter J.T. Ginn allowed three hits over 3 1/3 scoreless innings before exiting with right arm soreness.
Joel Kuhnel, Jacob Lopez, Justin Sterner (1-2) and Hogan Harris followed Ginn before right-hander Jack Perkins pitched two scoreless innings for his second save.
Josh Jung doubled twice for Texas, which was out-hit 10-6 and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
The Athletics claimed a 2-0 run in the first inning against Kumar Rocker (1-2), who recorded two quick outs before walking Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker.
Cortes followed by capping an eight-pitch at-bat with a two-run triple over the head of center fielder Evan Carter.
Cortes is batting 14-for-26 (.538) with three homers and seven RBIs during his seven-game hitting streak for the Athletics, who have won four of their last six.
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz set a franchise record by drawing a walk in his 16th consecutive game. He has also reached base safely in each of his last 22 games.
Texas cut into the lead with a run in the sixth. Jung hit a leadoff double and scored when Lopez committed a throwing error on Carter’s sacrifice bunt.
Lopez walked Jake Burger and was replaced by Sterner, who allowed a single to Josh Smith. Sterner escaped the bases-loaded, no-out jam by striking out Danny Jansen and Sam Haggerty ahead of Brandon Nimmo, who lined out to center.
Rocker allowed two runs on six hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out three.
The Athletics loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth before Peyton Gray fanned Rooker on three pitches to keep it a one-run game.
Rooker went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts in his first game with the Athletics since landing on the injured list April 10 with a right oblique strain.
–Field Level Media
