Ryon Healy hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the sixth inning to help the Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 on Thursday night.
It was the fifth straight road win for the Athletics and seventh consecutive loss for the Rangers. It's Texas' longest skid since an eight-game slide in 2015.
Bruce Maxwell took to a knee in the Oakland bullpen during the national anthem. The catcher was warming up starter Sean Manaea, out of view from many fans and cameras. One fan near the Oakland dugout said "boo" in a normal voice, and a small number of fans booed when Maxwell batted in the second inning. Maxwell has been the only major league baseball player to take to a knee, mirroring protests by NFL players against racial injustice. This was Maxwell's first road game since he began his protest last weekend.
A's manager Bob Melvin said before the game he expected the protest to continue because of Maxwell was committed to it.
Manaea (12-10) gave up three hits and no earned runs in 6 2/3 innings. Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless ninth for his 15th save in 20 opportunities.
Oakland's sixth-inning runs came with two outs. Jed Lowrie singled and went to third base on a double by Khris Davis. Healy then looped a fly ball that dropped in front of center fielder Delino DeShields.
Matt Chapman also drove in two runs, with his 14th home run in the fifth and a single in the ninth.
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
Drew Robinson tied the game for Texas with a run-scoring single in the fifth.
Chapman's homer off losing pitcher Miguel Gonzalez (8-13) cleared the center field fence just above the outstretched glove of DeShields.
Manaea had been scratched from his previous scheduled start, at home against the Rangers on Saturday, because of a strained left upper back.
Oakland is 16-5 in September. By beating fourth-place Texas, the A's retained hopes of avoiding their third straight last-place finish in the AL West. The Rangers have a two-game lead with three to play.
Earlier in the day, the A's announced an extension of Melvin's contract through the 2019 season.
Melvin, who took over as the A's manager after the 2011 season, had been signed through 2018. In late July, the 55-year-old earned his 1,000th managerial win. He currently has a 1,029-1,040 career record with Seattle, Arizona and Oakland. His 536 wins with Oakland trail only Tony LaRussa (798) and Art Howe (600). Melvin has been a Manager of the Year in both leagues.
TRAINER'S ROOM
A's: Rookie utility player Chad Pinder, who sustained a concussion when crashing into a wall last Friday, isn't expected to play again this season. Pinder made starts at six different positions.
Rangers: 2B Rougned Odor, who has continued to play since spraining his left ankle Sept. 10, wasn't in the starting lineup. It was only the third time in the Rangers' 159 games that he hasn't started this season. But he did pinch hit and still has a chance to be the first Rangers player to appear in all 162 games since 2006, when Michael Young and Mark Teixeira both did.
UP NEXT
A's: Right-hander Raul Alcantara (1-1), who was designated for assignment by Oakland in late April after one start, is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in four games (two starts) since returning to Oakland three weeks ago after Triple-A Nashville ended its season. Both of his career wins have been against Texas.
Rangers: Martin Perez (12-12, 4.83 ERA) will make his team-high 32nd start, one shy of his career high. The lefty has lost two of three starts since a career-best seven-game winning streak.
