Texas Rangers vs Oakland Athletics Box Score on Sep 11, 2021

DJ Peters and Jonah Heim hit two-run home runs against the Oakland Athletics' beleaguered bullpen in a five-run eighth inning and Leody Tavares added a solo shot in the ninth as the visiting Texas Rangers rallied to stun the American League playoff contender 8-6 on Saturday afternoon.

The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the A's (77-65), who led 3-0 early and 6-2 when starter Cole Irvin was pulled after seven innings.

Down four, the Rangers cut their deficit in half when Adolis Garcia singled with one out in the eighth off A's reliever Sergio Romo and Peters followed with his 11th homer.

After a walk and a second out, Yohel Pozo doubled home Nathaniel Lowe to make it 6-5, before Heim greeted Andrew Chafin (1-3) with his go-ahead, two-run blast, his ninth.

Tavares' homer, his third, came off a third different A's reliever, Yusmeiro Petit, leading off the ninth to complete the scoring.

Brett Martin (4-4), who pitched a scoreless seventh, was credited with the win. Joe Barlow earned his fifth save with a one-hit ninth.

The A's never trailed until the eighth, initially going up 3-0 on Starling Marte's 11th homer of the season, a solo shot, in the first inning, an RBI single by Chad Pinder in the second and Matt Olson's 33rd homer, another solo blast, in the third.

Texas got back within one in the fourth on an RBI double by Nick Solak and run-scoring single by Pozo. But the A's surged away again in the bottom of the inning, getting a two-run homer from Mark Canha, his 17th, and sacrifice fly from Josh Harrison to extend the lead to 6-2.

Irvin allowed two runs and six hits in his seven innings. He walked one and struck out eight.

Texas starter Wes Benjamin, an emergency insert after Colby Allard came up sick, was charged with six runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Pozo collected three hits and two RBIs for the Rangers, while teammates Peters and Heim had two hits apiece.

Pinder had a single and a double for the A's, who were out-hit 11-9.

--Field Level Media