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Gonzalez leads A's past Rangers

Aug 5, 2009 - 5:59 AM OAKLAND, Calif.(AP) -- Gio Gonzalez found a routine that helps keep him focused. After his best outing yet, he's not going to change it anytime soon.

Gonzalez threw 6 2-3 scoreless innings and Kurt Suzuki homered to help the Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 6-0 on Tuesday night.

"I have been working with Suzuki about having a routine; having him set up down the middle and let my stuff do the work," Gonzalez said. "I'm working on keeping my composure because that will help me go the distance."

Gonzalez, who won his third straight decision and his first at home since last Aug. 12, lowered his home ERA to 8.26 from 10.80 with his outing.

Mark Ellis added three hits and three RBIs as the A's beat Texas a second straight night. Michael Young extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a double in the eighth but the Rangers lost for the third time in four games.

"He's got a good routine going and it's showing," Suzuki said of Gonzalez. "He doesn't have to nibble. His curveball is a big-time swing and miss pitch. If he gets his fastball going, he's going to be tough to hit."

Gonzalez (3-2) took a no-hitter into the fifth before giving up a two-out hit to David Murphy. He retired 14 in a row to that point.

"I saw a curveball, that's about it," Rangers' manager Ron Washington said. "You can't take anything away from the kid; he went seven innings, but it wasn't any shutout stuff."

Derek Holland (4-7) gave up four runs and four hits with four walks over 4 1-3 innings. He struck out four.

"I was trying to make too many perfect pitches and balls were getting away," Holland said. "I was just trying to do too much out there."

Suzuki hit his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot, with one out in the first. Ellis added RBI singles in the second, fourth and eighth, Cliff Pennington drove in a run in the eighth and Scott Hairston hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Gonzalez walked Young with one out in the first and allowed one Ranger to venture further than second base.

"It's funny but it's the same stuff I've seen from Gio," A's manager Bob Geren said. "The difference is throwing it over the plate. This is what he needs. You can see the talent is there."

Jack Cust made a nice running catch just before hitting the right field wall to end the fourth, the closest the Rangers were to a hit until Murphy's sharp single.

NOTES: Rangers LHP Eddie Guardado appeared in his 900th game, pitching a scoreless seventh. He's the fifth left-hander to appear in as many games, and ranks third among active pitchers in games. ... The Rangers have lost six of their last nine road games. ... The A's will bring up RHP Chad Reineke to replace LHP Dallas Braden as Wednesday's starter. Braden developed a rash on his left ankle that has swollen. ... Rangers OF Nelson Cruz sprained his left ankle on the final play of Monday night's 3-2 loss and is listed as day-to-day. ... Rangers RHP Doug Mathis had his 22-inning scoreless streak as a reliever end in the eighth. ... A's INF Nomar Garciaparra, who went 1-for-4, is a .387 career hitter against the Rangers, the second best mark ever against them.