A's offensive onslaught takes down Rangers

Nothing like an offensive breakout to end a brief skid.

The A’s snapped a three-game losing streak and Monday’s quiet three-run offensive display with a resounding 13-6 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday at Globe Life Field, tying their season high in runs scored and setting a season high with 15 hits.

“Nobody wants to lose three games in a row, and especially with what happened yesterday early in the game,” said manager Bob Melvin regarding Monday's shaky start from Frankie Montas. “So, it was important that guys came out early with some fire. They did, and we scored a bunch of runs early.”

Oakland jumped on Texas early and often, sprinting out to a 9-0 lead through three innings.

Four runs in the first inning chased opposing starter Taylor Hearn before he could finish the frame. Three runs in the second. Two more runs in the third. By the end of three, the A's seemed poised to cruise to the finish line.

As is frequently the case with A’s vs Rangers games in Arlington, that’s not quite what unfolded. Beginning with a four-run fifth inning that ended starter Cole Irvin’s night, the Rangers slowly began to chip away, cutting the deficit to as little as three runs. From innings four through eight, the A’s only had one hit. As the lead grew smaller, Melvin was forced to dip into his late-inning arms, summoning Jake Diekman and Lou Trivino to stop the bleeding.

But in the ninth inning, the bats woke up from their miniature slumber, piling on four more insurance runs to put the nail in the coffin and quash any thoughts the Rangers may have had of coming all the way back. With the late runs, Melvin was able to limit Trivino’s night to just one batter and save him for the rest of the series.

“It was huge,” Melvin said of the ninth-inning insurance runs. “Those guys have been a little bit rested, but if you can give them more rest and Lou doesn’t have to get four outs and finish the game, that’s huge for the next couple days.”

There was no shortage of notable stat lines on the night, as eight of the A's nine starters reached base at least once.

Elvis Andrus, who received a hero’s welcome in his return to Texas on Monday night, also had three hits and two RBI of his own. Matt Chapman hit a two-run home run and drove in three runs. Ramón Laureano had three hits and a two-run homer of his own.

But no one stuffed the box score quite like Mark Canha, who had three hits, a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs. For Canha, it marked the fifth game this season in which he’s had at least two hits, two runs and two RBIs.

Romo evokes memories of Lyons
After allowing a no-doubt home run to Eli White in the bottom of the seventh, Sergio Romo wasn’t exactly in the greatest of spirits.

As Romo was approached by the umpiring crew for a foreign substance check after the seventh inning, the reliever tossed his glove and hat to the ground, took off his belt and dropped his pants. The scene evoked images of Steve Lyons, who infamously lowered his trousers after sliding head first into first base in 1990. Given how his inning of work unfolded, Romo appeared frustrated with having to go through the process.

“He’s a playful guy,” Melvin said. “I don’t think he meant anything by it. I will give credit to the umpires with the way they’ve handled this. They’ve been fantastic in it. Try to make light of it, smile with guys and do it quickly. So, that won’t happen again.”