
Chargers GM shuts down Johnston trade rumors
Chargers GM Joe Hortiz shuts down trade rumors about Quentin Johnston.
The Athletics defeated the Rangers 2-1 in a tightly contested game, with Jeffrey Springs earning the win after pitching 6 1/3 innings. MacKenzie Gore struggled with six walks, contributing to the Rangers' loss.
(© Dennis Lee-Imagn Images)
For baseball fans of great pitching, Texas Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore and Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs put on a clinic on Tuesday night. Gore, though, got in trouble with too many walks as the Athletics edged past the Rangers 2-1 on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif.
Gore worked 5 2/3 innings, giving up three hits, both Athletics runs (they were earned), walked six, and struck out five. It was those six walks that proved to be Gore's undoing.
Springs was lights out himself, though. He worked 6 1/3 innings, giving up three hits, the Rangers' lone run, walked two, and struck out five. Springs goes to 3-0 on the season with the victory.
This wasn't an offensive show for Athletics fans gathered under the Northern California moon. The same can be said for Rangers fans watching on TV back in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area.
Jake Burger's RBI single to left field with two outs in the first brought Brandon Nimmo home and put Texas up 1-0 early.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the third inning, the Athletics' Jacob Wilson took a 1-1 pitch and singled to Rangers left fielder Andrew McCutchen. Denzel Clarke and Shea Langeliers scored on the play, putting the Athletics up 2-1 at that point. Nick Kurtz moved to second on the hit, too.
But the Athletics didn't add any more runs in the inning. And that wrapped up the scoring for Tuesday night.
After the starters left the game, the Rangers and Athletics leaned on four pitchers out of their respective bullpens. Mark Leiter Jr. came on in the ninth to retire the Rangers in order and pick up his second save this season for the Athletics.
Burger, Nimmo, Josh Jung, and Danny Jansen were the only Rangers hitters to get a base hit in the game. Kurtz, Wilson, Clarke, and Austin Wynns had the Athletics' hits on the night.
The Rangers and Athletics have identical 9-8 records on the season, but the Rangers are in first place in the American League West Division. The Athletics sit in second place after getting the victory.
Texas and the Athletics will play again on Wednesday night, followed by a Thursday afternoon matchup. After Thursday's game, the Rangers finally head home to Globe Life Field. Texas will be home for a bit as it will welcome the Seattle Mariners in for a three-game weekend series starting on Friday night.
That should be a great series with Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez coming to town. It will be a chance for the Rangers to see how they match up with the Mariners at this point of the 2026 MLB season.
Following the Mariners series, the Pittsburgh Pirates will open a series against the Rangers on Monday night. It's not clear at this point if Pirates ace pitcher Paul Skenes is going to start one of those games. If he does, though, then the game will be a must-see moment at Globe Life Field.
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The final score was Athletics 2, Rangers 1.
The starting pitchers were MacKenzie Gore for the Rangers and Jeffrey Springs for the Athletics.
Jeffrey Springs pitched 6 1/3 innings.
MacKenzie Gore walked six batters and struck out five during his 5 2/3 innings of work.

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