Sean Murphy had his second two-homer game and rookie Shea Langeliers hit his first major league home run in his second game with Oakland, leading the Athletics to a 7-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.
Murphy pulled a solo home run to left field in the first inning and launched an opposite-field, two-run shot into the home bullpen in right-center in the third inning.
Langeliers, from nearby Keller, Texas, homered on an 0-2 pitch with one on during Oakland’s four-run eighth inning. The 24-year-old was called up Tuesday and doubled on the first pitch he saw.
Murphy doubled in the eighth inning and scored, extending his hitting success at Globe Life Field. He has a .347 batting average with eight homers and 17 RBI in 18 games played at the ballpark. His first multi-homer game came in his third career start, on Sept. 19, 2019, at Houston.
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A’s rookie righthander Adam Oller (2-5) allowed one run — his fewest in 10 starts — on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
Both home runs came off rookie left-hander Cole Ragans (0-2), who gave up three runs on four hits and one walk in five innings while striking out three. It was Ragans’ third big league start.
The A’s, with the worst record in the American League, have won two consecutive games following a nine-game losing streak.
Texas Rangers - World Series Champions
Earlier in the day, Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels, who led the front office for 17 years, was relieved of his duties, two days after the dismissal of manager Chris Woodward. Chris Young, the club’s executive vice president and general manager, takes over all aspects of baseball operations.
Adolis Garcia and Mark Mathias hit RBI doubles for Texas in the first and ninth innings. Mathias’ came in as a pinch-hitter in his debut with the Rangers. Garcia has a 14-game hitting streak.
The Rangers’ Nathaniel Lowe had a 22-game on-base streak snapped.
ROSTER MOVES
The A’s released veteran SS Elvis Andrus and recalled INF Sheldon Neuse, also from Keller, from Triple-A Las Vegas. Neuse went 1 for 3. … The Rangers designated RHP Garrett Richards for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
A’s: RHP Brent Honeywell Jr. (elbow) has one more scheduled rehab outing with low Class A Stockton.
Rangers: RHP Joe Barlow (blister) was activated from the 15-day injured list after missing 31 games. Barlow pitched one scoreless inning, leaving the bases loaded. … OF Kole Calhoun (heel irritation) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock.
UP NEXT
Thursday afternoon’s finale to the four-game series will match A’s rookie LHP Zach Logue (3-6, 5.49 ERA) against Rangers RHP Dane Dunning (2-6, 4.12). Logue was recalled from Las Vegas last Saturday for his sixth stint with the club this season. He allowed four runs on seven hits, including two home runs, in 2 1/3 innings in an 11-4 loss to Texas on May 28. Dunning is 1-0 in his last six starts, and that win came by limiting the Chicago White Sox to no runs and one hit on Aug. 6.
