Leody Taveras hit a game-winning single with one out in the ninth inning, and the Texas Rangers defeated the Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Saturday night.
With the bases loaded, Taveras, batting ninth, hit a grounder through the middle and past the infield, bringing pinch-runner Ezequiel Duran home with the winning run.
“Didn’t hit the ball hard there in the ninth, but we put it in play, and you saw what happened,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said.
Athletics reliever Tyler Ferguson (2-2), who had struck out three batters in the eighth inning, hit Nathaniel Lowe with a pitch to start the ninth.
Carson Kelly then reached base on a bloop single that fell between second baseman Zack Gelof and right fielder Lawrence Butler. Duran replaced Lowe on second base, and Travis Jankowski walked with one out.
“Hit batter got some momentum for them, and the blooper into right field, that’s a tough play … landed right in the middle of them,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “Bad luck in the ninth inning.”
All-Star closer Kirby Yates (6-2) managed to scorelessly through the ninth inning despite allowing a single and a walk.
The reigning World Series champion Rangers (64-71), who led the American League with 5.43 runs per game last year, have been held to four or fewer runs for the sixth game in a row and the 12th time in their last 15 games.
They are 23-16 in one-run games and have won their last six one-run games. Jonah Heim’s 12th home run, a two-run shot in the second inning, put Texas ahead 2-0.
