OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Adolis García doubled to start an eight-run eighth inning capped by his second grand slam this season, and the Texas Rangers routed Oakland 11-3 on Sunday to take three of four from the Athletics.
García had three hits and five RBIs. He has 10 homers and leads the major leagues with 42 RBIs.
Oakland dropped to a major league-worst 9-33 and is on pace finish 35-127, which would be the most losses in the major leagues since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders went 20-134.
The game drew 7,793 to the Coliseum, the finale of a four-game series that totaled 25,547. The A's have drawn under 10,000 in 13 of 21 home games, including eight of 10 since announcing April 20 the team had signed an agreement to purchase land for a ballpark to be built in Las Vegas.
Robbie Grossman homered for the second straight day and had three hits as Texas completed a 7-3 trip, its best since an 8-2 swing in 2016.
Texas led 3-1 on Grossman's two-run homer in the first and García's RBI single in the third before Shea Langeliers hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Jonathan Hernández (1-1).
García doubled leading off the eighth against Austin Pruitt (0-1) and Jonah Heim hit a one-out RBI single that extended his career-high hitting streak to 12 games. Heim took third as the ball skipped by center fielder Esteury Ruiz and rolled to the warning track for an error.
Oakland manager Mark Kotsay was ejected by plate umpire Dan Bellino as Sam Moll relieved, apparently for arguing over a previous ball-strike call, and bench coach Darren Bush took over as acting manager.
Leodys Taveras hit into a run-scoring forceout, and Marcus Semien and Grossman followed with RBI singles for a 7-3 lead.
Zach Neal relieved with the bases loaded and García drove a 1-0 sinker over the left-center scoreboard and into the sparsely filled seats.
Texas starter Andrew Heaney allowed one run, four hits and two walks in six innings. Texas’ starters combined for two shutouts and allowed five earned runs in 27 2/3 innings during the series for a 1.63 ERA.
Oakland's JP Sears allowed three runs — two earned — and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The A’s have given up at least one home run in each of their last 18 games, the longest streak in franchise history
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: C Mitch Garver (left knee strain) will begin a rehab assignment this month. … INF Josh Smith was unavailable after getting hit on the left foot Saturday.
Athletics: RHP Paul Blackburn (torn right middle fingernail) threw 41 pitches and allowed four runs and six hits in two innings of a rehab start with Triple-A Las Vegas. Blackburn faced 12 hitters and gave up two runs. … INF Aledmys Díaz was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and went 2 for 4. Díaz had been out since April 30 with a strained left hamstring. … RHP Garrett Acton's contract was selected from Las Vegas and the 24-year-old right-hander made his major league debut in the sixth. He struck out two in 1 2/3 hitless innings. RHP James Kaprielian and INF Kevin Smith were optioned to the Aviators.
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Charlie Morton (4-3, 3.32 ERA) faces Atlanta, his team for the previous three seasons. on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Global Life Park.
Athletics: RHP Drew Recuinski (0-3, 8.16) starts Monday against Arizona seeking his first win since July 4, 2018, while pitching in relief for Miami.
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