Rangers In The Win Column
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OAKLAND — The Texas Rangers gave rookie manager Jeff Banister his first major league victory and a celebratory beer shower Tuesday night.
“Boys having fun, that’s how that happened,” a beer-soaked Banister said after the Rangers’ 3-1 victory against the Oakland Athletics. “It’s nice to get the first one out of the way. More importantly, a fantastic job by Colby Lewis and the bullpen.”
The right-handed Lewis pitched six strong innings, first baseman Prince Fielder drove in two runs and the Ranger avenged an 8-0 loss to Oakland on Opening Night.
Lewis continued his history of strong performances against the A’s. Entering the game, he was 8-4 with a 3.23 ERA for his career against Oakland. He was 6-3 with a 3.05 ERA in Oakland.
Lewis allowed three hits, struck out four and walked two.
“I’ve always enjoyed playing here,” Lewis said. “I have family that comes up from Bakersfield. “There is a comfort level for me.”
Fielder went 2-for-3 and reached base in the first inning when he was hit by a pitch. After playing just 42 games and undergoing season-ending neck surgery last year, Fielder is off to a strong and healthy start.
“Prince is a professional hitter,” Banister said. “This guy has done significant things in
the game. He hits home runs, he drives in runs, he’s got multiple 100-RBI years under his belt. This guy’s capable of hitting the ball all over the ball park.”
Center fielder Leonys Martin and shortstop Elvis Andrus each had two hits.
A’s center fielder Sam Fuld went 2-for-4 with a triple.
Oakland right-hander Jesse Hahn gave up three runs on seven hits over six innings in his Oakland debut. Hahn, acquired from San Diego in an offseason trade, struck out three and walked none.
“Didn’t think it was a bad start,” Hahn said. “Obviously, not the outcome I wanted. I thought maybe one or two mistake pitches and I don’t think things went my way tonight. Overall, I felt good about it, Just wish we got the win.”
The A’s trailed 3-0 through five innings but cut Texas’ lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Fuld tripled to right and scored on second baseman Eric Sogard’s ground out.
Oakland loaded the bases in the seventh inning against Rangers rookie right-hander Keone Kela, who made his major league debut. But with one out, he got shortstop Marcus Semien to ground into an inning-ending double play on a 3-2 changeup.
“I tried to not allow everything else throw me off my game,” Kela said. “I just knew I needed to make every single pitch to the best of my ability. A couple got away but I was able to grind it out and battle”
Rangers right-hander Shawn Tolleson pitched a scoreless eighth, and Neftali Feliz a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season.
A’s third baseman Brett Lawrie went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.
“I thought I went in there with a good approach,” Lawrie said. “Just didn’t attack early and they ended up getting offspeed ahead early. Just one of those days.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
Leading off, Rougned Odor was hit by a pitch and moved to second on Martin’s ground out. Then, with two outs, Fielder lined a soft single to center field, driving in Odor with Texas’ first run of the season.
The Rangers then made it 3-0 with two runs in the fifth.
Martin lined a one-out single to center off Hahn and raced to third on Andrus’ hit-and-run single, grounded to left field through a hole vacated by Semien when he covered second base.
Fielder lined an RBI single to right, bringing Martin home, and when the ball got past right fielder Craig Gentry for an error, Andrus scored all the way from first.
