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Monday, Jul. 3 8:35pm ET
Helling hits the mark as Texas tops Oakland | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Texas starter Rick Helling is back on the winning track, compliments of Oakland. Helling allowed just one run in six innings despite throwing 137 pitches as the Rangers beat the Athletics 8-3 on Monday night. He has won two straight against Oakland after losing six consecutive starts. "That is one of the most exhausting games I have thrown in a long time, both physically and mentally," Helling said. "My job is to give the team a chance to win, and I've done that just about every start." Helling (9-7) has won his last two games at the expense of the Athletics and Kevin Appier (8-5). Ivan Rodriguez and Mike Lamb both homered in the fourth inning when the Rangers overcame a 1-0 deficit with three runs. After Rafael Palmeiro drew a leadoff walk, Rodriguez hit his 25th homer of the season and Lamb followed three batters later with a solo shot. Palmeiro added a sacrifice fly in the fifth to make it 4-1. Rusty Greer hit a two-run homer to highlight Texas' four-run eighth. The 137 pitches were the most by a Rangers pitcher since Helling threw 138 over 8 2/3 innings in a victory over Minnesota on April 27, 1998. Helling struck out three, walked four and hit one batter. "Having baserunners on every inning, that was the hardest thing," Helling said. "You like to spread the workload, but I bet I threw at least 20 pitches every inning. There was not one easy inning." The Athletics were just 1-for-10 against Helling with runners in scoring position. They left 10 men on base against him, stranding runners in all six innings. After Ryan Christenson led off the game with a walk, he moved to third on a one-out single by Jason Giambi and then scored on Ben Grieve's groundout. Oakland didn't score again until the eighth after Ramon Hernandez had a pinch-hit single and Olmedo Saenz had a pinch-hit double off reliever Mike Venafro. Sal Fasano, a .178 hitter, then had his second straight double to make it 4-3. Appier had won six straight decisions until he lost 5-3 to the Rangers last Wednesday. He threw 146 pitches over seven innings, allowing four runs on five hits. "What a battle. He gave us all he had," Oakland manager Art Howe said. "He had the fire in his eye, and I told him not to leave anything in the tank." Oakland has lost five of its last six games, including three straight to Texas. The two-time AL West champion Rangers are 38-42 -- their worst record through 80 games since 1994. The Rangers didn't have a runner until Gabe Kapler and Scott Sheldon drew consecutive one-out walks in the third inning, the latter on a 12-pitch at-bat. But Texas didn't score until an inning later. Through four innings, both starters had gone to three balls on eight hitters each. Helling had already thrown 90 pitches, and Appier 88. "I don't know if I've seen a game with 135-plus pitches by both starters, that kept the game close," Texas manager Johnny Oates said. "We got a few breaks." Game notesRodriguez is the first AL catcher since Lance Parrish in 1984-85 to hit 25 or more home runs in consecutive seasons. ... It was Lamb's first homer since May 21. ... Oates was ejected from the game in the fourth inning, apparently arguing balls and strikes. ... John Jaha, who was 3-for-25 (.120) in his previous nine games for Oakland, had a second-inning double. ... Grieve is an Arlington native whose father, Tom, does television broadcasts for the Rangers. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Oakland Clubhouse Texas Clubhouse RECAPS Toronto 6 Baltimore 4
Chi. White Sox 14
Texas 8
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