ARLINGTON, Texas — Adrian Beltre drilled a two-run walk-off home run with two outs in the ninth, lifting the Texas Rangers to a 7-6 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night at Globe Life Park.
Beltre’s second homer of the game sailed into the A’s bullpen off closer Ryan Madson. The Rangers rallied from a 5-1 deficit to beat their American League West rivals for the fourth straight time.
Texas (58-42) extended its winning streak to three in the opener of a seven-game homestand. The Rangers also upped their lead in the division to 3 1/2 game with Houston’s loss to the New York Yankees.
Oakland (45-55) saw its three-game winning streak snapped. The A’s are still tied for the best record in the majors since the All-Star break at 7-4.
Texas reliever Jason Diekman (2-1) was credited with the win, but starter Martin Perez kept the Rangers in the game after getting roughed up early. The lefty allowed five runs (three earned) through the first three innings on five extra-base hits before retiring seven of the last eight batters he faced in six innings of work.
Oakland starter Daniel Mengden continually found himself in trouble and couldn’t make it out of the fifth after giving up four runs on seven hits. The rookie did depart with a 5-4 lead.
The division rivals traded runs in the seventh in the keep it a one-run game. Josh Reddick’s two-out single scored Matt McBride off Texas reliever Matt Bush. Texas countered with Beltre’s slicing homer just inside the right-field foul pole against Oakland reliever John Axford.
The Rangers are 4-4 against the A’s following the first meeting between the clubs in Texas. The first seven matchups were in Oakland.
All 13 runs by the two clubs were scored with two outs.
The A’s took a 2-0 lead in the first on Danny Valencia’s 13th home run of a season. The shot to center came after Reddick reached on a two-out error by shortstop Elvis Andrus, who pulled first baseman Mitch Moreland off the bag with a wide throw.
Texas cut the gap in half in the bottom of the inning on Ian Desmond’s 19th homer. The two-out solo shot to right was Desmond’s second home run against Mengden this season.
Oakland tacked on another three runs in the third against Perez on doubles from Jed Lowrie, Valencia, Khris Davis and Billy Butler. The last three two-baggers came with two outs, each driving in a run.
The Rangers pulled within 5-2 in the fourth on Bobby Wilson’s two-out double to left to plate Beltre.
Texas got even closer on another two-out hit in the fifth, this one from Rougned Odor, to drive home two runs and make it 5-4. After an ensuing walk, Oakland manager Bob Melvin yanked Mengden in favor of Marc Rzepczynski.
NOTES: Texas DH Prince Fielder is likely headed to season-ending surgery, according to general manager Jon Daniels. Fielder is on the disabled list with a herniated C5-C6 disk in his neck. Neck surgery for a previous herniation in 2014 prematurely ended that season for Fielder. Daniels said the loss of Fielder does not impact the club’s plans with the trade deadline approaching. … Oakland OF Coco Crisp (stiff neck) missed his second straight game. … Athletics RF Josh Reddick was back in the lineup Monday after missing two starts due to back pain. … Oakland called up INF/OF Max Muncy from Nashville to take the place of RHP Jesse Hahn, who was sent down to the Triple-A club.
