MLB: Luis Medina allowed three runs in the first inning and two more in the fifth in what became a 9-4 A’s loss to the Rangers at Globe Life Field
Oakland Athletics’ Tony Kemp follows through on a swing during a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. ARLINGTON, Texas — Oakland Athletics rookie right-hander Luis Medina had a rough start to Sunday’s game against the Texas Rangers, and the ending was not much better.
Andrew Heaney , the odd man out of the Rangers rotation with All-Star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi back from the injured list, struck out six over 3 2/3 scoreless innings after taking over for Jon Gray in the third. It was the first relief appearance for the left-hander after 27 starts this season. “He comes out in the first, gives up three runs,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told reporters when asked about Medina. “He bounced back and did a nice job in the second, third, fourth, and then that fifth thing — that third time through the lineup — they’re coming around, a couple of walks, and then it ends up getting out of control a little bit for him.
With 20 games remaining, the Rangers stayed three games behind AL West-leading Houston , which swept them in three games in their previous series. They moved within .003 of division foe Seattle for the American League’s third and final wild-card spot after the Mariners lost at Tampa Bay, and are 1 1/2 games behind Toronto for the second spot.