Texas MLB Capsules: Braden, Barton lead A's past Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Oakland Athletics needed this one, and Dallas Braden delivered.
Braden threw a four-hitter for his second career shutout, Daric Barton homered and the A's trimmed Texas' imposing lead in the AL West with a 5-0 victory over the Rangers on Saturday night.
Braden (9-9) improved to 5-7 since his perfect game against Tampa Bay on May 9, striking out one and issuing no walks in a 120-pitch outing. The left-hander allowed only one runner to reach third after the A's dropped the series opener 7-3 on Friday night.
"It's big as far as momentum is concerned," Braden said. "You don't want to feel like you have the wind knocked out of you in Game 1. It's big to come back and swing the bats well, play defense well. Obviously those two things are a huge part of any kind of push you want to make."
Texas was shut out for only the third time this season and first at Rangers Ballpark. The Rangers still hold an 8½-game edge over the second-place A's, the largest division lead in baseball.
"We had to win this one," Oakland catcher Landon Powell said. "We're trying to make a run at this thing and they're seven, eight games up. You can't afford to lose to them. You have to try to win every game you can against them to make up the most ground."
There are five games left in the season series, including Sunday, and the A's know they're in a tough spot.
"It was very important for a lot of reasons," manager Bob Geren said. "It was important for our pitchers to go deep in the game to save the bullpen. ... It was important to even the series and give us a chance to gain some ground tomorrow."
Oakland's Kurt Suzuki matched a career high with four hits. Barton was 2 for 3, reached base four times and scored a career-high four runs.
Josh Hamilton went 1 for 4 for Texas, dropping his major league-high batting average to .357.
Rich Harden (5-5) allowed four runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings after the former Athletics pitcher tossed 6 2-3 no-hit innings against Minnesota in his previous start Monday.
"It's frustrating," Harden said. "I didn't think I threw that bad. But there were a few pitches I missed."
Kevin Kouzmanoff hit an RBI single in the first and Barton lofted an 0-1 changeup into the right-field seats for a two-run homer in the third. That gave Barton an 11-game hitting streak, matching his career high.
Suzuki's bloop single in the fifth drove in Barton, who had doubled.
When Harden issued a one-out walk to Jack Cust in the fifth, manager Ron Washington brought in left-hander Derek Holland, recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier in the day.
The Rangers started the night No. 2 in the AL with a .275 average, but they couldn't get much going against Braden.
"He kept us off the fat part of the bat all night," Washington said. "He had a good changeup, ran his cutter in there, spotted his fastball. He was good."
NOTES: The Rangers put RHP Frank Francisco on the 15-day disabled list after he aggravated a right rib-cage injury during Friday night's game. An MRI revealed inflammation in a muscle in Francisco's side and he will be shut down until he shows improvement. ... Oakland LHP Brett Anderson experienced no swelling in his hyperextended right knee and is on schedule to start on Wednesday. Anderson was removed from Friday night's start prior to the third inning after his right foot landed in a hole on the mound in the second. Anderson fell awkwardly and the A's were concerned the injury might be serious. ... 2B Alex Cora went 1 for 3 in his first appearance for Texas. Cora signed a minor league contract with the Rangers on Aug. 18, a week after being released by the New York Mets, and was called up from Oklahoma City on Tuesday. ... Suzuki had his second four-hit game of the season, fifth of his career.
Rangers' Francisco on DL; Holland recalled
ARLINGTON (AP) — The Texas Rangers placed right-hander Frank Francisco on the 15-day disabled list before Saturday night's game against the Oakland Athletics.
Francisco left Friday night's 7-3 victory over the Athletics in the ninth inning when he aggravated a right rib-cage injury while walking the leadoff man.
Francisco was making his first appearance since last Saturday. He recently got a cortisone shot in his right armpit to deal with a strained muscle.
Left-hander Derek Holland was promoted from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take Francisco's place in the bullpen.
Francisco is 6-4 with a 3.76 ERA in 56 appearances for Texas this season, with a 2.13 ERA in 13 outings since the All-Star break.
Manager Ron Washington still expects Francisco to be part of his relief corps for the stretch drive. Francisco is eligible to be activated on Sept. 12.
"He's a huge piece," Washington said. "I've said it earlier and I'll say it again, we can't it done without Frankie."
Depending on matchups, Washington can use right-handers Darren O'Day and Alexi Ogando, and left-handers Darren Oliver and Matt Harrison in Francisco's setup role for closer Neftali Feliz.
This is Holland's third stint with the Rangers this season. He was scheduled to start for Oklahoma City on Saturday night before he was called up.
Holland is 2-2 with a 5.32 ERA in six games, five starts, for Texas this season.
Lee homers, Myers goes long for Astros in 4-1 win
NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Myers pitched at least six innings again, Carlos Lee homered off Johan Santana again and two of the few remaining veterans on the young Astros gave Houston a team first: a win at Citi Field.
Lee also drove in a run in a two-run first inning, and that was all the Astros really needed to beat the New York Mets 4-1 Saturday night.
"Today, facing Santana, you know he kind of got a tough first inning and we took advantage, scored two runs, took the lead," Lee said. "Every time you got a lead with Myers going out there, you know it's basically guaranteed he's going to go seven. So you know, you feel pretty good."
The Mets have four hits in 34 at-bats with runners in scoring position in the last five games, for a .118 average. David Wright hit an RBI single in the eighth.
"We seem to have the better at-bats late," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "It's almost a little too late at that point."
Lee's two-run shot off Santana in the fifth was his fourth against the tough little lefty, most in the NL. Only Travis Hafner and Magglio Ordonez have five.
He made it 4-0, but by that point, the Mets might as well have been buried. Santana (10-9) has only won once this season when allowing more than a run. It hasn't helped that he has an ERA of 8.04 in the first inning this season.
In the 15 starts in which he's allowed one or no runs, he's won nine and gotten six no decisions. Santana gave up four runs and won June 15 at Cleveland.
"I'm not perfect. I'm going to give up some runs out there," Santana said. "You hope your team can come back and score some runs. That wasn't the case tonight."
It didn't help that Myers (10-7) gave up six hits and a walk in seven innings. He faced exactly four batters in every inning and never allowed a runner past second.
"I just tried to make pitches," Myers said. "I wanted them to hit the ball at people."
Houston has won six of seven, a streak that seems almost unreachable for the Mets, who have spent August hovering within a game of the .500 mark.
The Astros got nice games from youngsters Tommy Manzella (three hits, one an RBI single), Jason Bourgeois (two hits and a diving catch) and catcher Humberto Quintero, whom Myers credited with another well-called game.
"I just followed what Q was putting down," Myers said. "He's a smart catcher."
Myers has pitched at least six innings in all of his 27 starts this season. Larry Dierker had the previous Astros record of 26 in 1969-70.
"I know you guys are tried of me saying it, but another outstanding outing," Astros manager Brad Mills said. "That can't be overstated, what he's doing and what he has done and what he did tonight.
On Saturday night, Santana gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings, losing a third straight decision for the fourth time in his career. He hasn't dropped four in a row since 2004 with Minnesota.
The Mets sent the tying run to the plate in the eighth against Wilton Lopez, when Wright hit a one-out RBI single and Ike Davis singled behind him. Jeff Francoeur struck out and Josh Thole's sinking liner to left looked good, but Bourgeois made a diving catch that bailed out Tim Byrdak for the last out.
The Mets had a hit in each of the first five innings, but never came close to scoring. They stranded one runner in each of the first seven, and two in the eighth before Brandon Lyon pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth straight save.
"We got to believe that at some point in these last 37 games, we're going to break out," Manuel said. "I see guys trying to get the job done, but I wouldn't call it pressing."
Notes: Lee has 28 RBIs in 28 games since July 28. ... Houston was swept at Citi Field last year and lost the series opener 2-1 Friday night. ... Astros closer Matt Lindstrom still has a stiff back and his scheduled bullpen session was pushed back. Astros manager Brad Mills said Lindstrom will be evaluated daily to see if he's ready to throw. ... Houston INF Jeff Keppinger (left big toe) is expected to play a rehab game at Double-A Corpus Christi on Sunday. INF Geoff Blum rejoined the Astros after missing three days with neck discomfort. He pinch hit in the eighth. ... Mets SS Jose Reyes was out of the lineup for the second night in a row because of the right oblique strain he aggravated on Thursday. He did not take batting practice. ... Myers is the 13th pitcher to go at least six innings in his first 27 starts since 1920. Curt Schilling was the last to do it, with six or more innings in his first 35 starts.
Lindstrom's rehab pushed back, Keppinger to bat
NEW YORK (AP) — Houston Astros closer Matt Lindstrom still has a stiff back and his scheduled bullpen session has been delayed.
Astros manager Brad Mills says Lindstrom was scheduled to throw Saturday before heading out on a rehab assignment. He will be evaluated daily to see if he's ready to throw.
Mills said infielder Jeff Keppinger (left big toe) is expected to play a rehab game at Double-A Corpus Christi on Sunday.
Houston infielder Geoff Blum returned after missing three days with neck discomfort. He batted for pitcher Brett Myers in the top of the eighth and struck out to end the inning.
