Athletics 8 - 7 Rangers
Final
  for this game

Ogando leads Texas into middle test with A's

Sep 10, 2011 - 3:08 PM

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(Sports Network) - Alexi Ogando will make his first career start against Oakland tonight, when he leads the Texas Rangers into the second test of a three-game series in Arlington.

Ogando is 0-0 with a 2.08 earned run average in six career relief appearances against the Athletics, spanning just 4 1/3 innings. Ogando hasn't fared well on the mound lately overall, going 2-4 with a 6.17 ERA in nine games (8 starts). The Rangers are 3-6 in that span. Ogando tossed a scoreless inning of relief in a 5-1 loss at Tampa Bay and is 12-7 in 27 games (26 starts) this season to go along with a 3.66 ERA.

The right-hander hasn't tasted victory since defeating the LA Angels of Anaheim on Aug. 15 in an 8-4 road win.

Texas could use a solid outing from Ogando since it's only 2 1/2 games ahead of the Angels for the American League West lead. It handed the Athletics a 13-4 defeat in Friday's opener thanks to nine runs over the seventh and eighth innings. Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer during the late burst and Michael Young finished with two hits, three runs scored and four RBI for the Rangers, who have won seven of their last 11 games.

Ian Kinsler was bust with three hits and four runs scored, and Elvis Andrus went 2-for-5 with three runs and two RBI. Josh Hamilton was scratched from the Rangers lineup to be with his wife for the birth of their fourth daughter. He could return to the lineup tonight.

Colby Lewis collected the win and held the A's to three runs in 7 1/3 innings.

"It's all location...getting yourself into pitcher's counts instead of hitter's counts and keeping the ball down in the zone," said Lewis.

Oakland has lost three of four games since winning four in a row.

Brandon McCarthy didn't have a terrible start but did bad enough to absorb the loss, as he gave up four runs -- two earned -- and five hits in six innings. He also struck out five batters and walked one.

Josh Willingham and Hideki Matsui both hit two-run homers in defeat.

"We gave them extra outs and they took advantage of it," Willingham said in reference to the three errors committed by Oakland.

The A's have committed 115 errors this season, which is the most by an Oakland team since the 2001 club had 125.

Trevor Cahill's hot start to the 2011 season is long in the past and the Athletics are very aware of that. Cahill draws the assignment tonight and was 0-4 with a 7.15 earned run average in six starts before pulling out an 8-5 win versus Seattle, which was held to one run in five innings.

Cahill, who began the season 6-0 with a 1.72 ERA in his initial eight starts, improved to 10-13 in 30 starts to go along with a 4.20 ERA in the win and has reached double digits in victories in each of his first three seasons in the major leagues. The right-hander lost to the Rangers on Aug. 18 at the Coliseum, but is 8-4 with a 2.32 ERA in 13 career starts against them.

The Rangers are 10-4 against Oakland this season and have won nine in a row in this series. Texas is 6-1 against Oakland at the Ballpark in Arlington. The A's have lost nine straight to the Rangers for the first time since 1986.






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