Rangers End Season With Loss
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ARLINGTON, Texas — The Oakland Athletics’ mantra for a must-win in Game 162 was: find a way.
Sonny Gray showed them the way.
The right-hander pitched a shutout and the Athletics clinched the American League’s second wild-card spot with a 4-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Right fielder Josh Reddick and first baseman Stephen Vogt had run-scoring hits in the second for Oakland, which added two runs in the ninth.
It was all more than enough for Gray (14-10), who gave up six hits, walked none and struck out five.
The A’s (88-74), who entered the game needing a win or a Seattle Mariners loss to clinch a playoff berth, will travel to Kansas City for the AL wild-card game on Tuesday evening.
“We’ve talked about these last two weeks all we need to do is get in … find a way to get in,” Gray said. “I know we’re not playing well right now, but just get in.
“Nothing else mattered today except us winning. I did my best to make
sure that happened.”
Gray looked much more like the pitcher who was one of the top fireballers in the AL before encountering a tough stretch in his last 10 starts.
After being staked to a 2-0 lead in the first, he responded by retiring the Rangers in order in a 10-pitch shutdown third inning. Texas put runners at the corners with no outs in the fifth, but Gray struck out designated hitter Luis Sardinas and then got out of the inning by inducing a double play grounder from of first baseman Adam Rosales.
After that fifth inning, Gray retired nine of the next 10 hitters.
Gray recorded 27 outs in 103 pitches, which is all the more impressive considering he posted a 1-6 record with a 4.64 ERA in his last 10 starts. Gray was 12-3 with a 2.65 ERA in his first 21 starts.
Even with his recent struggles, Oakland had the right guy on the mound. Gray has big-game experience, having pitched in two pressure cookers in last year’s AL Division Series.
“This was just as much pressure if not more,” Gray said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have been there. Once our backs were against the wall we were able to up our performance.”
Nick Martinez (5-12) suffered the loss, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out two in 5 2/3 innings for the Rangers (67-95), who finished last in the AL West Division yet closed the season winning 13 of their last 16 games.
Texas entered the season with big expectations, only to see them wither away amid back-breaking injuries to both their rotation and position players.
After giving up two runs in the second, Martinez set down the next 13 hitters, a streak intact when he was relieved by left-handed pitcher Derek Holland in the sixth inning. They combined to retire 17 straight and 19 of 20 from the second to the eighth.
“From the start of the year to the end it was tough,” Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said. “But everything happens for a reason. It was a learning process for us.
“A lot of young guys got a chance to play in different situations. I’m excited for next year.”
Left fielder Brandon Moss led off the second with a double. Reddick followed with his seventh triple of the season. With one out, Vogt drove in Reddick with a base hit to left.
Oakland catcher Geovany Soto, who had two hits, singled putting runners at the corners. The next two hitters, second baseman Eric Sogard, the No. 9 hitter, and center fielder Coco Crisp let Martinez off the hook with fly outs to center.
Oakland added two in the ninth, one unearned after a throwing error by Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre allowed leadoff hitter Alberto Callaspo to reach.
Shortstop Jed Lowrie base hit through the right side of the infield, scoring Callaspo and Reddick.
Holland, who was scratched from Saturday’s scheduled start because of migraine headaches, gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits and an intentional walk over 2 2/3 innings.
The A’s found themselves in a must-win position in Game 162 after going 15-30 dating to Aug. 10, when they had a four-game lead in the AL West and a season-high 28 games over .500. They held an 11-game lead for the first wild-card spot.
But the A’s and Gray found a way by playing good baseball on the last day of the regular season.
“We’re ready to go,” Gray said. “Johnny Gomes put it best, ‘If we’re not going in the front door, let’s just find a way in.’
“We did that today. Now the pressure is off and we can just go out there and play.”
