GAME THREAD: How Rangers Beat Athletics
The Texas Rangers start a four-game series with the Oakland Athletics on Monday. But the Rangers made big news before the game, as they fired manager Chris Woodward in his fourth season. Tony Beasley, the Rangers’ well-respected third-base coach, will be the interim manager the rest of the season. Both team president Jon Daniels and general manager Chris Young spoke about the timing of the move.
For the rest of the season, Beasley is in charge and, theoretically, auditioning for the job in 2023. The Rangers will also be judging the landscape to see who they may want to interview for the job.
Scroll down to follow along with tonight’s game and find all of the site's covered of the Woodward firing at InsidetheRangers.com.
Oakland Athletics (41-74) at Texas Rangers (51-63)
Starting Pitchers
TEX: RHP Glenn Otto (4-8, 5.20)
Vs.
OAK: RHP James Kaprielian (3-6, 4.38)
Texas Rangers Starting Lineup
1. 2B Marcus Semien
2. SS Corey Seager
3. RF Adolis García
4. 1B Nathaniel Lowe
5. C Johan Heim
6. CF Leody Taveras
7. DH Brad Miller
8. LF Bubba Thompson
9. 3B Josh Smith
Oakland Athletics Starting Lineup
1. CF Cal Stevenson
2. LF Tony Kemp
3. C Sean Murphy
4. 1B Seth Brown
5. DH Chad Pinder
6. RF Skye Bolt
7. 2B Jonah Bride
8. 3B Vimael Machín
9. SS Nick Allen
Top of First
Glenn Otto (TEX) pitching
Center fielder Cal Stevenson led off the game for Oakland and drew a walk. Left fielder Tony Kemp then drew a walk, which drew an instant mound visit from Doug Mathis. Catcher Sean Murphy grounded into a double play, moving Stevenson to third. First baseman Seth Brown then popped out to Rangers shortstop Corey Seager to get out of the jam. Rangers 0, Athletics 0
Bottom of First
James Kaprielian (OAK) pitching
Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien led off and lined out to Athletics third baseman Vimael Machín. Seager then struck out. Right fielder Adolis García struck out to end the inning. Rangers 0, Athletics 0
Top of Second
Oakland designated hitter Chad Pinder grounded out to Seager to lead off. Right fielder Skye Bolt, who walked. That was Otto's third issued walk of the game. A's second baseman Jonah Bride lined out sharply to Seager, keeping Bolt at first base. Machín flew out to Rangers left fielder Bubba Thompson to end the inning. Rangers 0, Athletics 0
Bottom of Second
Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe led off by grounding out to Oakland shortstop Nick Allen. Catcher Jonah Heim walked. Designated hitter Brad Miller grounded to Allen, who was unable to make a throw to get Heim out at second, leaving two runners on and two out for Thompson. He struck out swinging to end the inning. Rangers 0, Athletics 0
Top of Third
Allen led off with a home run off Otto to score the game's first run. it was just Allen's third home run of 2022. Stevenson followed that by drawing Otto's fourth walk of the game. Kemp popped out to left field, caught by a sliding Thompson. With Murphy at the plate, Stevenson stole second. Then Murphy grounded out to Semien, but Stevenson advanced to third. Brown walked, putting runners at the corners for Pinder with two out. He popped out to Thompson to end the inning. Athletics 1, Rangers 0
Bottom of Third
Rangers third baseman Josh Smith led off by flying out to Kemp in left field. Semien then pulled a Kaprielian offering down the left-field line for his 18th home run of the season to tie the game. Seager followed by sending a shot into the left-center field gap, where Stevenson made a diving grab from his center field position. García singled to left to extend the inning. The hit extended his hitting streak to 12 games, the best of any Rangers player this season. Lowe followed with a single to move García to third. That prompted a mound visit to Kaprielian. Heim then flew out to right field to end the third. Rangers 1, Athletics 1
Top of Fourth
Bolt led off with a groundout to Semien. Bride then flew out to Thompson in left field. Machín then grounded out to Semien for a 1-2-3 inning. Rangers 1, Athletics 1
Bottom of Fourth
Taveras led off by flying out to center field. Miller then hit a single to right field. Thompson then walked. Smith popped out to left field. Semien lined out to right to end the frame. Rangers 1, Athletics 1
Top of Fifth
Allen led off by grounding out to Smith at third base. Stevenson popped out to Seager. Kemp then hit a slow roller to Semien, who tried to bare-hand it and couldn't make it work. Kemp was awarded a single. He then stole second with Murphy taking a 1-0 pitch for a ball. Murphy walked, prompting another mound visit from Mathis to Otto, who was at 76 pitches. Brown stepped in with two out and he grounded out to Lowe with Otto covering the bag. Rangers 1, Athletics 1
Bottom of Fifth
Seager led off by grounding out to Bride at second, who needed a nifty backhand grab on the outfield grass to make the play. García struck out swinging. Lowe grounded out to third to end the inning. Rangers 1, Athletics 1
Top of Sixth
Pinder led off with a sharp line out to Semien. Bolt then grounded out to Semien, who, like Bride in the previous half-inning, was playing deep on the outfield grass and had to backhand the grounder. Otto struck out Bride to end the half-inning. Rangers 1, Athletics 1
Bottom of Sixth
Heim led off with a line out to right field. Taveras then hit a gap shot to right-center field that slipped between Bolt and Stevenson for a triple. That led to a pitching change as the Athletics removed Kaprielian for Sam Moll. Elier Hernandez came in to pinch-hit for Miller. Hernandez struck out looking. Thompson then went opposite field and poked a grounder through the infield and scored Taveras to give the Rangers their first lead. With Smith at the plate, Moll tried to pick off Thompson at first and his throw sailed past Brown for an error, allowing Thompson to move up to third base. Smith then grounded out to end the inning. Rangers 2, Athletics 1
Pitching Line for Kaprielian: 5 1/3 innings, six hits, two runs (earned), two walks, five strikeouts. 94 pitches, 64 strikes.
Top of Seventh
Rangers pitching change: Brock Burke in for Glenn Otto
Pitching Line for Otto: six innings, two hits, one run (earned), six walks, one strikeout. He threw 90 pitches, 49 strikes.
Elvis Andrus came in to pinch-hit for Oakland, drawing an ovation from the Rangers' crowd. Andrus struck out swinging. Allen then grounded out to Seager. Stevenson hit a long fly ball to center field that Taveras ran down, as he need a leap at the end into the wall to make the catch. Rangers 2, Athletics 1
Bottom of Seventh
Athletics pitching change: Domingo Acevedo in for Sam Moll
Pitching Line for Moll: 2/3 innings, one hit, one strikeout. He threw 15 pitches, nine strikes.
Athletics position changes: Andrus came in to play shortstop. Allen moved from shortstop to second base. Bride move from second base to third base. Machín came out of the game.
Semien led off with a ground-ball single to left field. Seager popped out to left field, keeping Semien at first base. Garcia grounded into what should have been a double play, but Andrus had trouble with the exchange and his throw to second forced out Semien. But Garcia was safe at first. Lowe followed by striking out swinging. Rangers 2, Athletics 1
Top of Eighth
Burke returned for a second inning of relief. Kemp flew out to right field to start the half-inning. Murphy singled. Brown walked. That prompted a mound visit from Mathis. Burke then struck out Pinder for the second out. After the out, Brett Martin was up in the Rangers' bullpen for the second time. Burke struck out Bolt to end the inning. Rangers 2, Athletics 1
Bottom of Eighth
Athletics pitching change: Zach Jackson for Domingo Acevedo
Pitching Line for Acevedo: one inning, one hit, one strikeout. He threw 20 pitches, 11 strikes.
Heim led off by popping out to third base. Taveras then walked. Jackson's wild pitch moved Taveras to second with Hernandez at the plate. He struck out looking. Thompson then struck out, but the Athletics needed to put him out at first base when Murphy didn't field the ball cleanly. Rangers 2, Athletics 1
Top of Ninth
Rangers pitching change: Jonathan Hernandez in for Brock Burke
Pitching Line for Burke: two inning, one hit, one walk, three strikeouts. He threw 39 pitches, 22 strikes.
Bride grounded out to third. Andrus walked. With Allen at the plate, Heim threw out Andrus trying to steal second. The play was reviewed and the call stood for the second out. Allen then faced a 3-2 count and drew a walk to extend the inning. At that point, 'Jeff the Rally Bird' appeared. Stevenson struck out swinging to end the game. Rangers 2, Athletics 1 — Final
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