Texas 5, Oakland 4

Rangers 5, Athletics 4: Adrian Beltre hit a game-tying two-run homer in the seventh inning and cranked a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth to lift Texas over visiting Oakland.

Beltre’s third hit of the game came against Tyson Ross (2-11) and occurred after the Athletics walked Josh Hamilton intentionally to load the bases. It also gave the Rangers a five-game lead in the American League West over Oakland, which had its lead over the idle Los Angeles Angels for the second wild card spot reduced to two games.

Oakland jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Josh Donaldson’s two-run homer in the second. The Rangers scored in the bottom of the inning on Mitch Moreland’s single, but Yoenis Cespedes drilled a two-out solo shot to left in the third to make it 3-1.

Hamilton hit his major league-leading 43rd homer of the season in the fifth to pull Texas within one. Oakland’s Chad Pennington had a run-scoring single in the sixth before Beltre slugged his game-tying blast to right field in the seventh off Pat Neshek.

Joe Nathan (3-4) pitched a scoreless ninth for Texas. Oakland’s Daniel Straily struck out eight and allowed two runs - one earned - and five hits in 6 2/3 innings, while Rangers starter Derek Holland gave up three runs and four hits in three frames.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Athletics RF Josh Reddick went 0-for-3 and is hitless in his last 27 at-bats. … Hamilton was back in the lineup after a five-game absence due to sinus and vision issues. He went 1-for-3 and scored twice. … Oakland CF Coco Crisp (pink eye) missed his sixth straight contest.

• Texas will play their next game at home against Oakland. The Rangers have a W/L % of .516 after a win and .710 after a loss.
• Oakland will play their next game on the road against Texas. The Athletics have a W/L % of .605 after a win and .507 after a loss.