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Athletics, Rangers close series in Arlington

Apr 30, 2014 - 2:58 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Jesse Chavez tries to lead the Oakland Athletics to a three-game sweep over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday when the American League West rivals wrap up their set from Globe Life Park.

Texas, of course, swept Oakland last weekend, but the A's moved one step closer to returning the favor on Tuesday, as Derek Norris smacked a pair of doubles and drove in three runs in his team's 9-3 rout.

Josh Reddick tallied three RBI and Yoenis Cespedes scored three runs for Oakland, which has won four of its last six games.

Scott Kazmir (4-0) surrendered three runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings to notch the win.

"I could have let him go out again, but they made him work pretty hard," A's manager Bob Melvin said

Martin Perez (4-1) yielded eight runs on eight hits and three walks over 4 2/3 frames for the Rangers, who have dropped three in a row.

"Tonight, it didn't happen how I wanted," Perez said.

Chavez, meanwhile, has been one of the more impressive pitchers in the league through the first month of the season, despite having just one win to show for it. The reliever-turned-starter, though, is coming off his worst showing of the year on Friday in Houston, as he allowed five runs (4 earned) and eight hits in five innings to raise his ERA to 2.32.

He had given up one earned run in each of his first four outings.

Chavez has never started a game against the Rangers, but has pitched to a 7.16 ERA in nine games out of the bullpen against them.

Texas will counter with lefty Robbie Ross Jr., who is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA. Ross did not get a decision versus Seattle on Friday, as he surrendered a pair of runs and six hits in six innings of a 6-5 loss.

Ross has yet to record a decision in 16 relief outings against the A's, but has totaled a 4.30 ERA in those outings.