Final
Saltalamacchia leads Rangers past A's
Aug 8, 2007 - 5:37 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Jarrod Saltalamacchia drove in the go-ahead run in a four-run sixth inning as the Texas Rangers snapped a five-game slide with an 8-6 triumph over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.With the game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Nelson Cruz walked and Jason Botts singled before Saltalamacchia's RBI double against Oakland starter Chad Gaudin (8-8). Gerald Laird then stroked a two-run double, chasing Gaudin, and later scored on Frank Catalanotto's run-scoring double to cap the uprising.
"It's tough because I haven't been playing that much, so I've been real aggressive and trying to jump on any good pitch I see," said Saltalamacchia, who was acquired from the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline in the Mark Teixeira said. "I put a good at-bat together (in the sixth) and good things came of it."
But Oakland would not surrender easily. Rookie Kurt Suzuki hit an RBI single and came around when Shannon Stewart delivered his ninth homer against Frank Francisco to cut the deficit to one run in the eighth.
However, pinch runner Jerry Hairston Jr. scored when Cruz hit into a fielder's choice as the Rangers created a two-run bulge.
Texas starter Kason Gabbard (5-1) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings in his first home appearance since coming over on July 31 from Boston in a trade for Eric Gagne.
"It is another start coming here," Gabbard said. "The crowd was great. The stadium is excellent. We went out trying to win a ballgame and we did it.
"As a starter I'm trying to pitch as long as I can and keep the team in the game as long as I can. It turned out to be in our favor."
Two relievers bridged the gap to closer C.J. Wilson, who got the final four outs for his third save of the season.
"He has been working hard," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "It fell into place for C.J. and he is throwing strikes. He has an idea what he is doing. He's done a good job. He's taking advantage of his opportunity. The last three times it's been C.J.'s job."
Marlon Byrd helped the Rangers build a 3-1 advantage in the fourth with a three-run blast, his fourth. It was Byrd's first homer since June 24 against the Houston Astros.
Gaudin was hammered for seven runs and eight hits in five innings. The 24-year-old righthander struck out seven, but remained winless through his last six outings.
"He's definitely pitched better than losing five straight decisions," Oakland manager Bob Geren said of his starter. "It seems like one pitch here or there is costing him. Other than the home run (to Byrd), I thought he pitched excellent."
The Athletics had a chance to take the lead in the seventh, but Francisco got out of a bases-loaded jam by retiring the side in order.
Oakland's Mark Ellis finished a triple shy of his for the cycle for the second time this season. His two-run homer in the sixth tied the game at 3-3.
- AL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
OAKLAND 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 6 11 0
TEXAS 0 0 0 3 0 4 0 1 x 8 9 0 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: OAK - CHAD GAUDIN, RUDDY LUGO (6TH), SANTIAGO CASILLA (8TH) AND KURT
SUZUKI
TEX - KASON GABBARD, WES LITTLETON (7TH), FRANK
FRANCISCO (7TH), C.J. WILSON (8TH) AND
Aug 7 11:38 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
FIELDER'S CHOICE BY NELSON CRUZ SCORED JERRY HAIRSTON JR.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, N CRUZ ON FIRST, I KINSLER ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 6
TEXAS 8 BOTTOM, 8TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: J BOTTS (.222, 1-FOR-4)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 11:28 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY SHANNON STEWART (9) TO RIGHT CENTER
WITH 2 OUT IN THE 8TH OFF FRANK FRANCISCO SCORED KURT SUZUKI.
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 6, TEXAS 7
DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: N SWISHER (.253, 1-FOR-3, BB)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 11:08 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY KURT SUZUKI SCORED DONNIE MURPHY.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, K SUZUKI ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 4
TEXAS 7 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: S STEWART (.297, 1-FOR-4)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 11:05 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY FRANK CATALANOTTO SCORED GERALD LAIRD.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, F CATALANOTTO ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 3
TEXAS 7 BOTTOM, 6TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.253, 2-FOR-3)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 10:32 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY GERALD LAIRD SCORED JASON BOTTS AND JARROD
SALTALAMACCHIA.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, G LAIRD ON SECOND, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 3
TEXAS 6 BOTTOM, 6TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: R VAZQUEZ (.244, 1-FOR-2)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 10:27 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA SCORED NELSON CRUZ.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J SALTALAMACCHIA ON SECOND, J BOTTS ON
THIRD, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 3
TEXAS 4 BOTTOM, 6TH
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: G LAIRD (.232, 0-FOR-2)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 10:25 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY MARK ELLIS (15) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 6TH OFF KASON GABBARD SCORED MIKE PIAZZA.
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 3, TEXAS 3
DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: D JOHNSON (.235, 0-FOR-2)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 10:12 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY MARLON BYRD (4) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT
IN THE 4TH OFF CHAD GAUDIN SCORED IAN KINSLER AND MICHAEL YOUNG.
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 1, TEXAS 3
DUE UP FOR TEXAS: N CRUZ (.218, 0-FOR-1)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 9:45 PM - AL
AT TEXAS - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DONNIE MURPHY SCORED MARK ELLIS.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D MURPHY ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: OAKLAND 1
TEXAS 0 TOP, 4TH
DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: K SUZUKI (.221, 0-FOR-1)
Athletics vs. RangersAug 7 9:36 PM
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