ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — While an unorthodox move, Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin figured the best chance to extend the game was to make sure Adrian Beltre didn’t end it.
Melvin never really anticipated what happened right after intentionally walking Beltre with one out in the 10th inning to reload the bases after Carlos Beltran’s tying two-run single for Texas.
After the four intended wide pitches to Beltre, reliever Marc Rzepczynski hit Rougned Odor on the shoulder with his next pitch, forcing home the winning run to give the AL-best Rangers a 5-4 victory Tuesday night.
“I threw one and it ran instead of sank. And it ran right into his shoulder,” Rzepczynski said. “That sums it up right there.”
John Axford (4-4) had walked the bases loaded before Beltran’s single up the middle. Next was Beltre, who had a game-deciding grand slam in the series opener Monday night.
“With two lefties coming up, I figured my best shot was to get a ground ball and force a double play,” Melvin said.
Oakland had tied the game in the ninth off closer Sam Dyson, then took a 4-2 lead in the 10th when Yonder Alonso had an RBI double and scored on Ryon Healy’s single as five of its first six batters reached against Keone Kela (4-1).
Dyson struck out the side, but also gave up three hits and a run for his fourth blown save in 31 chances. The A’s had been 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position before Danny Valencia’s two-out RBI single tied the game at 2.
Kela, the sixth Texas pitcher, got all three of his outs on strikeouts, between three hits and a walk.
The A’s lost their fourth straight, dropping a season-high 16 games under .500. At 52-68, they are 18 1/2 games behind Texas in the AL West after their 19th loss this season in which they led the game by multiple runs.
Axford struck out rookie Nomar Mazara to start the 10th, but walked Robinson Chirinos, pinch-hitter Jonathan Lucroy and All-Star center fielder Ian Desmond in order to set up Beltran.
“I felt strong. I felt good. Everything was coming out nice. I felt like I had my electric stuff today,” Axford said. “But I wasn’t finding the zone and some of the borderline ones, I’m not going to get. I’m all over the place, I’m not going to get something close.”
TERRIFIC TRIGGS
Oakland rookie starter Andrew Triggs limited the Rangers to two hits and one run over 5 2-3 innings in his third career start. The right-hander is in his eighth stint this season with the A’s, and made his 21st appearance. He struck out two and walked none, but hit Chirinos to start the sixth before he scored on a double by Beltran against reliever Ryan Dull.
SHORT HOPS
Texas (71-50) has won nine of 13 after its first game-ending hit by pitch with the bases loaded since Sept. 11, 2010, against the New York Yankees. … Beltran matched his career high with four hits. … Texas went ahead 2-1 in the seventh when Odor led off with a rare walk, only his 12th coming in his 476th plate appearance this season. He later scored on a sacrifice fly by Elvis Andrus.
EARLY EXIT
Rangers starter Lucas Harrell left after two innings because of a right groin strain. He faced only 12 batters, allowing three hits and four walks. But Oakland managed only one run against him, when Valencia drew a bases-loaded walk.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: 2B Jed Lowrie will have season-ending surgery after being on the DL since Aug. 5 with lingering left foot issues. Lowrie will have a bunion removed from his big toe, but Melvin said there is also ligament damage.
Rangers: RF Shin-Soo Choo is scheduled to have surgery Wednesday to have a plate inserted near his left wrist and forearm where he was hit by a pitch.
UP NEXT
Athletics: Rookie LHP Sean Manaea (4-7, 4.57 ERA) is 2-3 with a 3.27 ERA in nine games since coming off the DL on June 29.
Rangers: RHP Yu Darvish, pitching one day after his 30th birthday, will try to beat the A’s for the first time since he first faced them in 2012. He is 0-8 in his last 10 starts against the AL West rival.
