Chapman Swats 2 Homers, Swingin' A's Blast Past Rangers 8-3
ARLINGTON (AP) -- Third baseman Matt Chapman hit two of Oakland's five solo homers and made a spectacular diving catch running into the outfield as the AL wild card-leading Athletics powered past the Texas Rangers 8-3 on Saturday night.
Matt Olson hit his 30th homer before Mitch Moreland and Seth Brown also went deep for the A's, who won for the 12th time in 15 games.
Moreland led off the seventh with an opposite-field shot to left-center to snap a 3-all tie, and Chapman immediately followed with a 407-foot drive to left. That chased Rangers starter Jordan Lyles (5-10), who has allowed 31 homers this season — only his teammate, 11-game loser Mike Foltynewicz, has given up more with a major league-high 33.
Andrew Chafin won his first decision in eight appearances for the A's since being acquired in a trade last month from the Chicago Cubs. The lefty worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of starter James Kaprielian.
Chapman, with 16 homers this season after his seventh career multi-homer game, made his defensive gem on the same night five-time Gold Glove-winning third baseman Adrian Beltre was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony.
A two-time Gold Glove winner himself, Chapman was running with his back to the plate when he lunged and reached out to catch Brock Holt's popup in shallow left field near the line. Chapman quickly popped up, twisted around and made a strong throw trying to double off a runner at first.
The Rangers had three consecutive singles to start the sixth off Kaprielian, and tied the game at 3 when Jonah Heim — the first batter faced by Chafin — h it a sacrifice fly to deep center. Nathaniel Lowe drove in the other two runs, with an RBI double in the first inning, and when he had the third single in a row in the sixth.
Olson's homer in the sixth had put Oakland up 3-1, and he added an RBI single as the A's scored four times in the seventh. Brown homered in the ninth.
Lyles allowed eight hits while striking out five without a walk. The right-hander won his last three starts before the All-Star break, but is 0-5 with a 7.46 ERA in six starts since.
SHORT HOPS
Oakland SS Elvis Andrus was placed on paternity leave so he could be with his wife for the birth of their third child. The absence meant Andrus, the Rangers starting shortstop the previous 12 seasons, missed the ceremony for Beltre. .... Rangers rookie DH Yohel Pozo finished 2 for 4, a night after also going 2 for 4 in his big league debut.
TRAINER'S ROOM
A's: 2B Josh Harrison missed his second game in a row because of a strained right quadriceps. Manager Bob Melvin said Harrison was "a little better" but not able to play. Jed Lowrie started at second base and had three singles with an RBI. Vimael Machin was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to play shortstop, and is hitless in his last 23 big league at-bats after going 0 for 3 with a sac bunt.
Rangers: LHP John King, who missed his 31st game since going on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation, threw a scoreless inning for Triple-A Round Rock on Friday night in his second rehab outing.
UP NEXT
A matchup of lefties in the series finale. Oakland's Sean Manaea (8-7, 3.43 ERA) is 2-5 with a 4.18 ERA over last last nine starts since June 20, with the A's providing a total of four runs of support in those five losses. Kolby Allard (2-10, 4.93), who turned 24 on Friday, is coming off a no-decision Tuesday at Seattle that ended his Rangers-record streak of losing eight consecutive starts.
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