Cleanup hitter Matt Olson connected for a grand slam off Luis Garcia after the Texas opener walked the bases loaded to start the game, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Rangers 10-6 on Friday night.
Mike Fiers (5-2) won for the third time in three starts against the Rangers with six solid innings as the AL West-leading A's moved a season-high 13 games over .500 and reduced their magic number for reaching the playoffs to single digits.
Oakland improved to 6-1 against the last-place Rangers, clinching the season series for the fourth consecutive year.
Olson's 426-foot drive about 15 rows up in right field on a 3-2 pitch was his 13th homer and second grand slam this season. The other was a game-ender against the Los Angeles Angels on opening day. Olson added an RBI single in the second inning.
Garcia (0-2) didn't get an out in what was supposed to be the second tandem start for the right-hander with Jordan Lyles. Instead, reliever Jimmy Herget came in after Olson's slam as Garcia's ERA rose from 3.68 to 8.59.
Lyles started the second inning as planned, and Sean Murphy sent his second pitch into the pavilion above the hitting background in center. Murphy's fifth homer of the season traveled 464 feet. Robbie Grossman hit his fifth homer in the sixth.
Fiers gave up one run through six innings before Elvis Andrus homered leading off the seventh and Rougned Odor and Ronald Guzman walked, ending the right-hander's night. Fiers ended up allowing four runs with five strikeouts.
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Sam Huff made his major league debut and matched Sandy Alomar (2005) and Mark Parent (1991) as the tallest catchers in Rangers history at 6-foot-5. The prized prospect struck out on three pitches in his first at-bat and finished 0 for 3 with a walk. Odor hit a two-run homer in the eighth.
