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Murphy's hit sends Rangers past A's

Aug 15, 2011 - 2:38 AM Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - David Murphy slapped an RBI single with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, sending the Texas Rangers to a 7-6 win and a three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics.

Mitch Moreland worked a key walk off of A's pitcher Andrew Bailey (0-3) and pinch-runner Craig Gentry stole second before scoring the decisive run on Murphy's hit.

"It's a tough one to lose. Especially since we came back," Oakland's starting pitcher Rich Harden said.

Nelson Cruz and Yorvit Torrealba finished with two hits apiece for the Rangers, who extended their road winning streak to four.

Mike Adams (1-1) worked a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win and Neftali Feliz tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down his 23rd save of the year.

Brandon Allen finished 3-for-4 with an RBI double and two runs scored, while Hideki Matsui had an RBI single for the A's, losers in four of their last five games.

Down 6-2, Oakland plated four runs to tie the game in the sixth. Scott Sizemore led off the inning with a double to right and scored on a single by Kurt Suzuki. An Allen double then scored Suzuki. Following the RBI, Allen advanced to third on a balk by Rangers starter Matt Harrison and Cliff Pennington walked to put runners on the corners with one out. Jemile Weeks slapped the first pitch he saw from reliever Darren Oliver into left field to plate Allen. After getting Coco Crisp to foul out, Oliver went to 3-2 on Matsui before the former Yankee slapped a base hit into left to plate the tying run.

"You have got to give them credit. They fought us hard today," Rangers manager Ron Washington said about the A's.

Texas opened the scoring in its first at bat when Ian Kinsler was plunked by Harden to lead off the game. Josh Hamilton slapped a single to right two batters later. Kinsler scored when Harden uncorked a wild pitch. Michael Young walked and Cruz followed with an infield single to load the bases with one down. Hamilton then trotted home on a walk to Mike Napoli and Young crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by Moreland to spot the Rangers an early 3-0 lead.

Oakland had a golden opportunity to get on the board in the third. Allen singled to begin the inning, Weeks smacked a single two batters later and Crisp reached base on an errant throw by Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus to load the bases with one out. Harrison got out of trouble, though, getting Matsui to fly out to center and Josh Willingham to strikeout.

The Rangers added a run in the fourth when Torrealba singled, Murphy walked and Kinsler reached on an infield bunt single to load with bases with no outs. Harden retired the next two hitters, but walked Young to force in Torrealba.

Napoli doubled to right in the fifth and Murphy walked two batters later, giving the Rangers runners on first and second with two down. A's reliever Bruce Billings got Kinsler to loft an easy fly ball to David DeJesus in right which should have been the third out of the inning, but DeJesus took his eye off the ball and it hit off the heel of his glove, allowing both runners to score for a 6-0 Rangers lead.

The A's got on the board in the home half. Allen singled and Pennington walked to being the frame. Harrison got Weeks to ground out and struck out Crisp, but Matsui punched a ground ball to Kinsler at second and the ball squeaked through his legs and into right field, allowing two runs to score to make it a 6-2 contest.

Game Notes

Torrealba extended his hitting streak to 12 games...Young has his 12-game hitting streak snapped...Texas leads the season series with the A's by a 9-4 count...Harrison is 4-1 in eight career games -- five starts -- against the Athletics...Texas has won eight consecutive games over the Athletics...Harrison gave up six runs -- four earned -- on six hits over 5 1/3 innings...Harden gave up four runs on five hits over four frames.