Athletics 7 - 8 Rangers
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Fast-starting Martinez gets call for Rangers vs. A's

May 2, 2015 - 2:32 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Nick Martinez will try to extend his incredible start to the season and snap the Texas Rangers' losing streak in a matchup on Saturday night with the Oakland Athletics.

Martinez gets the call for the second contest of this three-game series having gone 2-0 through four starts while allowing just one earned run in 26 innings.

Martinez has a 0.35 earned run average on the year and hurled six scoreless innings on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Angels. He worked around seven hits and two walks, but did not factor into the decision for a second outing in a row.

The 24-year-old righty opened up the season with a 10-1 victory in Oakland, charged with four hits and two walks over seven scoreless innings. That improved Martinez to 2-1 lifetime versus the A's with a 1.91 ERA in five games (4 starts).

Oakland hopes that 26-year-old Drew Pomeranz can pick up his first victory since April 10 in tonight's matchup with Texas.

Pomeranz beat Seattle with seven scoreless innings to open his season, but followed up by losing consecutive starts before a no-decision against Houston on Sunday. The lefty was charged with five runs, two of those unearned, on six hits and three walks over five innings.

Pomeranz has faced the Rangers twice before, including one start, and is 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA as he has allowed seven earned runs over 4 2/3 innings against them.

The A's handed the Rangers a fourth loss in a row by rallying to win 7-5 on Friday. Mark Canha, Josh Reddick and Brett Lawrie each drove in two runs during a seven-run eighth inning for Oakland.

Trailing 5-0, Canha started the eighth with a solo homer off Shawn Tolleson. Eric Sogard singled and Marcus Semien walked before Stephen Vogt hit an RBI single to right. After Billy Butler struck out looking for the second out, Roman Mendez came in from the bullpen.

Pinch-hitter Max Muncy walked to load the bases for Reddick, who hit a two-run single to center. Closer Neftali Feliz took over on the mound and immediately gave up a two-run double to Lawrie. Canha capped the comeback with an RBI single.

Oakland starter Scott Kazmir gave up three runs on six hits with six strikeouts over six innings. Dan Otero recorded the final out in the seventh, Evan Scribner tossed a scoreless eighth and Tyler Clippard pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.

"(Kazmir) kept us in the game like he always does," said A's manager Bob Melvin. "And we were able to reward him by not getting the loss."

Oakland snapped a two-game slide and won for just the second time in eight games.

Prince Fielder and Kyle Blanks hit solo homers for the Rangers. Colby Lewis walked away with a no-decision despite striking out eight over six scoreless innings.

"In baseball things happen ... a lot of things happen, but in that situation we should be winning," said Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo.

These teams split a four-game set to start the year.






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