ARLINGTON, Texas -- Josh Reddick's final push for an All-Star berth got off to a nice start Thursday night when he homered in his first at-bat.
His teammates jumped in on the long-ball act, but the A's pitching staff couldn't hold up its end of the bargain in a 7-6 loss to the A.L. West-leading Texas Rangers.
The A's had a golden opportunity in the ninth inning, putting runners on the corners with one out off Texas closer Joe Nathan. But Seth Smith struck out and Brandon Inge grounded out to end a remarkably tedious 3-hour, 54-minute affair.
Still, there was enough offense to win. The A's (37-40) banged out 12 hits and homered three times.
But things unraveled in the bottom of the fifth, when A's starter Tyson Ross and reliever Jim Miller couldn't hold a 4-2 lead.
Ross (2-8) was pulled in the fifth after allowing a walk and two singles to start the inning. The last hit was Elvis Andrus' infield single that scored a run to pull Texas to within 4-3.
"Going out in that inning with the lead, it's his game," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Ross. "(If) he shuts them down that inning, that's what he needs to go out there and do, not put guys on base."
But Miller, who took the loss Tuesday against Seattle after relieving Travis Blackley, allowed consecutive walks to Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre to force in the tying run. Miller retired the next two batters before David Murphy's two-run single made it 6-4.
Playing
in front of Rangers manager Ron Washington, the American League All-Star skipper, Reddick hit his team-best 18th homer of the season off Scott Feldman in the first inning.Derek Norris and Cliff Pennington went deep in back-to-back at-bats during a three-run third inning that gave the A's a 4-1 lead.
Counting their two solo homers Wednesday at Seattle, the A's three early homers Thursday gave them five straight hits that were all homers, the first time Oakland has that feat since 2001.
Washington gets to make eight at-large selections to the A.L. All-Star squad by Sunday, and Reddick and rookie closer Ryan Cook are the A's best candidates.
"I'm trying not to add too much pressure on myself," Reddick said. "If I do (make it), it's going to be a great accomplishment. If not, I'm sure I'll enjoy the break just as much."
The question is whether Oakland could find a taker for Fuentes, who has a 6.85 ERA and is owed a bit more than $2.5 million for the remainder of this season. The A's would likely need to eat a chunk of that salary to deal Fuentes, on whom they hold a $6.5 million club option for next season with a $500,000 buyout.
As of Thursday afternoon, McCarthy said none of his loved ones living in the area had been affected, but he's aware of the destruction the fire has caused.
"It's one of those things where Facebook makes it more real, where all of a sudden everybody you know from high school is posting pictures of it, or somebody you know is losing a house," he said.
His wife, Amanda -- who also attended Cheyenne Mountain High -- is helping to organize an auction of game-used items to be held before Tuesday's home game against Boston. The auction will take place in section 121, with all proceeds going to fire victims.
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