Khris Davis hits MLB-best 10th homer, A's rally past Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Oakland slugger Khris Davis keeps going deep in Texas, and just about everywhere else he plays.
“A big shocking event. Khris hit a go-ahead home run here,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said.
Davis’ major league-best 10th homer, his fifth in three games, was a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth inning for the A’s, who rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Rangers 8-6 on Friday night.
“Same as always. I look for the first good one and put a good swing on it,” Davis said.
After consecutive two-homer games in Baltimore, Davis was 0 for 3 with a fielder’s choice RBI before his one-out 426-foot shot to center in the eighth off Chris Martin (0-1) that made it 7-6.
“For him to hit a first-pitch slider showed me that he was obviously looking for it,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “It was a mistake we’d like to have back.”
It was the 28th homer by Davis against the Rangers since the start of the 2016 season, the most by any player against any team in that span. He had seven homers and 19 RBIs in nine games at Texas last season, when he led the majors with 48 homers.
“Ah, shoot. I don’t know. No comment,” Davis said when asked how comfortable he feels hitting in Texas, then adding that he was “not really” aware of his numbers there.
“I know the track record, I think it might’ve been the wrong pitch there,” Martin said. “Obviously if he fouls it off or takes it we’re not talking about this right now, but you have to tip your hat to him. He sat back and did a good job.”
Ramon Laureano hit a game-tying homer to start the seventh for the A’s.
Lou Trivino (1-0), Oakland’s third pitcher, worked 1 1-3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Blake Treinen got the final four outs, including three strikeouts, for his fifth save in six chances.
Texas led 6-1 after Elvis Andrus hit a three-run homer in the fifth. That was an inning after Asdrubal Cabrera went deep to snap his 0-for-13 slide.
Stephen Piscotty, in a 1-for-19 slump, was dropped from third to sixth in Oakland’s batting order. He singled in the second and scored on Jurickson Profar’s double that came in his first at-bat as a visitor in Texas. Piscotty later had an RBI double that capped a four-run sixth and got the A’s within 6-5.
PRO’S PROGRESSION
Profar finished 2 for 4, and is now 8 for 19 (.421) his last five games after going 5 of 47 (.106) in his first 12 games as Oakland’s second baseman. He was dealt from the Rangers to the A’s as part of a three-team, seven-player deal last December. His big league debut was with Texas in 2012, and last season he started games at all four infield positions.
FOR STARTERS
Drew Smyly, who pitched only 6 1-3 innings combined in his first two starts for Texas, made it into the sixth with the 6-1 lead before allowing the first three A’s, including his only two walks, to reach that inning — all three scored after he was pulled. The lefty struck out five. … A’s starter Mike Fiers allowed six runs for his second start in a row. He made it five innings against the Rangers after only 1 2-3 innings at Houston last Saturday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: 2B Rougned Odor was a late scratch from the starting lineup because of a sore right knee. … RHP Edinson Volquez, on the injured list since April 5 with a sprained right elbow, won’t throw for at least 4-6 weeks. The 35-year-old pitcher will have an MRI and be re-evaluated before he resumes throwing.
UP NEXT
Athletics: Right-hander Marco Estrada (0-1), who has a career-worst six-game losing streak over his last 10 starts dating to Aug. 26, makes his fifth start this season. He is 3-1 in seven career starts against Texas.
Rangers: Right-hander Adrian Sampson (0-1, 1.86 in two relief appearances) takes over Volquez’s spot in the rotation.
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