Kinsler & Hamilton Power Rangers Past A's
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Now that he has a spot in the American League record books, Texas slugger Ian Kinsler wants to get the Rangers there, too.
With a few more wins, they'll be on their way to making that happen.
Kinsler hit a tying home run leading off the eighth and Josh Hamilton followed with another homer two batters later, lifting Texas to a 3-2 win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night and reducing the Rangers magic number to clinch the AL West to three.
In doing so, Kinsler became the first second baseman in AL history to have 30 home runs, 30 doubles, 100 runs scored and 80 walks in the same season.
That's a nifty accomplishment but Kinsler is focused on something more important -- getting the defending AL champs back into the postseason for another shot at the capturing their first World Series title.
"That's something you think about when the season's over and you're sitting on your couch after a week of just hanging out," Kinsler said of his achievement. "But right now it's all team. It's about winning games, shrinking that magic number and getting to the postseason as quick as possible."
The Rangers, who lost to the San Francisco Giants in five games during the 2010 World Series, inched closer to doing just that.
Although second-place Los Angeles beat Toronto earlier in the day, Texas maintained its five-game leading over the Angels in the West with seven to go. The Rangers can clinch their second straight division title as early as Friday in Arlington when they host Seattle in the beginning of a three-game series.
"We went through some ups and downs this year but we were able to stay pretty consistent," Kinsler said. "Right now we're playing good baseball and we just want to make sure we continue that."
Michael Young, Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli added two hits apiece for Texas, which won its 90th game to match its win total of 2010.
Texas squandered numerous scoring opportunities and trailed 2-1 going into the eighth before Kinsler and Hamilton powered the Rangers back.
"It was an example of the character on this ballclub," manager Ron Washington said. "They never feel like they're out of it and they keep battling. We were fortunate enough that I had the horses to pull that type of stuff off."
Kinsler's 30th home run of the season came on a full-count pitch leading off the eighth against A's reliever Grant Balfour (4-2).
Balfour then retired Elvis Andrus on flyball before Hamilton connected for his 24th home run to right field. The ball landed halfway up the stairs at the Oakland Coliseum then bounced the rest of the way up.
"The one to Kinsler was a mistake, up and over the plate. The one to Hamilton I thought was a good pitch," Balfour said. "Just a good piece of hitting on his part. I guess it's the life of a reliever."
Koji Uehara (2-3) pitched a scoreless seventh for the win, his first with the Rangers since being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on July 30. Mike Adams worked the eighth and closer Neftali Feliz handled the ninth for his 29th save in 35 chances.
Jemile Weeks had two hits for the A's, who announced the signing of manager Bob Melvin to a three-year contract before the game. Oakland has lost three straight to fall a season-low 17 games under .500 for the first time since Sept. 4, 2009.
One of Melvin's priorities next season will be trying to get the A's to shake out of their funk against the first-place Rangers.
Texas has won 12 of the last 13 games against Oakland and is 13-4 against the A's this season. The 13 wins matches the club's season record for most victories against one team.
At least this time it was close.
The A's managed to get the tying run on base in the ninth when Feliz walked Josh Willingham, but he retired the next three batters to end it.
Young singled and scored on a double-play grounder in the second inning to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.
Oakland, held hitless through the first three innings, tied it when Cliff Pennington doubled off starter C.J. Wilson in the fifth and scored on Brandon Allen's two-out RBI single. Allen's hit ended an 11-for-79 rut for the A's first baseman.
After Michael Taylor walked, Weeks hit a sharp grounder just under the glove of diving Rangers third baseman Beltre to drive in Allen and put Oakland in front 2-1.
The Rangers struggled to get much else going against A's starter Brandon McCarthy, stranding a runner at second in the fifth and at third in the sixth. Texas also put the two runners on with one out in the seventh before breaking through against Balfour in the next inning.
Neither starter factored in the decision in this one.
Wilson allowed five hits over six innings and became the first Texas left-hander to have 200 or more strikeouts in a single season. He fanned eight, walked three and has given up two earned runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts.
"(Wilson) tried to go down and away to Allen and when you're sitting on a one-run lead you can't make any mistakes," Washington said of his staff ace. "I'm not saying that was a mistake. He kept us in the ballgame and the bullpen came in and did the rest."
McCarthy, Oakland's best pitcher over the last month, scattered six hits over seven innings and left with a 2-1 lead. He pitched out of jams with runners in scoring position three consecutive innings before Balfour relieved him and allowed two home runs to the first three batters he faced.
Andrus went hitless in four at-bats, ending his modest 13-game hitting streak.
(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
