The Texas Rangers scored three runs but the Northern California Athletics scored eight runs.
Top of the first inning, the Rangers loaded the bases with two outs. They did not score.
Bottom of the first inning, the A’s loaded the bases with two outs and hit a bases-clearing double.
Ballgame, and the story of this club this season in a nutshell.
The Rangers didn’t actually have a hit until the top of the fifth and tied the game in the sixth but the inability to ever do damage with the bases loaded remains a baffling failure point for what is quickly becoming a deserved lost year.
Of course, the Rangers still should have won this game. They were playing the A’s, a team who came into the night with the worst record in baseball (but only because the Rangers lost three in a row to the formerly-worst Angels).
Instead, Texas allowed a couple of solo home runs and then fell completely apart in the bottom of the eighth to remove all doubt. Overall, the Rangers collected just four base hits on the night whereas the first five batters reached for the A’s in the blowout-forging eighth alone.
By the way, the Angels lost tonight. They were beaten at the Big A by the terrible 49-73 KC Royals. They’re now the worst team in baseball again because the A’s jumped them in the standings by beating the Rangers.
Player of the Game: Jake Burger hit a three-run home run in the top of the sixth to tie the game and very briefly provide hope, but hope is not a friend when it comes to the 2026 Texas Rangers.
Up Next: The Rangers and Athletics play another late night baseball game with LHP MacKenzie Gore expected to make the start for Texas against RHP J.T. Ginn for the formerly-Oaklands.
The Saturday evening first pitch from Sutter Health Park is scheduled for 8:40 pm CDT and will be available to view on the Rangers Sports Network.