*Photo from the New York Post*
Willie Calhoun homered in his return to the majors, Lance Lynn threw 6 solid innings, and the Texas Rangers knocked the Oakland Athletics out of the second AL wild card spot with a 5-2 win. Lynn struck out 8 batters, and allowed 2 runs on just 4 hits. Asdrubal Cabrera drove in two runs on 3 hits, and Calhoun had two RBI. Lynn said that ''In all honesty it was a battle all night with them, so it was one of those things where it just kind of came out." After losing 8 straight games, Texas has won 3 of 4.
Oakland's Ramon Laureano got the scoring started in the first inning with a sac fly. They made the lead two when Mark Canha singled to left to score Marcus Semien. In the 4th inning, Nomar Mazara whacked an RBI double, Calhoun doubled Mazara in, and Cabrera singled in Calhoun to make it 3-2 Texas. In the 6th, Cabrera extended the lead on an RBI single to put Texas ahead 4-2. In the 8th, Calhoun launched a homer to right field to make it 5-2.
Daniel Mengden took the loss for Oakland, who now sits behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the second wild card spot. Mengden went 5 1/3 innings, allowing 4 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks. Jesse Chavez, Jose Leclerc and Chris Martin combined to give up just one hit in relief of Lynn. As it stands, the Cleveland Indians and Tampa Bay Rays have the two wild card spots in the AL, with the Boston Red Sox and the A's tied at 0.5 games behind the Rays. Boston and Oakland have a 4 game lead on the Los Angeles Angels, who are 4.5 back. Oakland could very well be back in the second wild card spot depending on how things play out today.
Oakland sends newly acquired pitcher Homer Bailey to the mound on Saturday. Bailey looks to rebound from a loss to the Houston Astros in which he gave up 9 runs in two innings. Adrian Sampson will draw the start for the Rangers as they try to gain some ground in the wild card hunt.
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