Swisher, A's hold off Rangers

Sep 14, 2007, 5:40 GMT

Oakland, CA - Nick Swisher finished 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBI, and two runs scored as the Oakland Athletics held off the Texas Rangers, 6-5, in the opener of a four-game set.

Chad Gaudin (11-11) improved to .500 on the season by holding Texas to three runs on eight hits in six-plus innings with eight strikeouts and two walks. Jack Cust had a two-run double for the A's, who have won three of four.

Kevin Millwood (9-12) gave up six runs on eight hits, fanning four and walking three. Jason Botts homered, and Michael Young finished 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Rangers, who have dropped three in a row following a six-game win streak.

The A's jumped on top with two in the first. Shannon Stewart led off with a single to center, and Swisher laced a one-out single to left. Cust followed with a double to center, plating both runners for a 2-0 lead.

Botts got one of those runs right back with a leadoff homer to center in the second.

Swisher belted a two-run homer to center with no outs in the third, padding the Oakland lead to 4-1.

The A's added two more runs in the fifth to open up a five-run edge. Cust worked a leadoff walk, and Mark Ellis singled to right, moving Cust to third. Marco Scutaro lifted a one-out sacrifice fly to right, and Jack Hannahan ripped a two-out double to center, plating another run for a 6-1 Oakland lead.

The Rangers clawed back with four runs in the seventh. Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to left to get things started, and Ramon Vazquez doubled to left, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Frank Catalanotto singled to left, plating both runners. A's reliever Santiago Casilla then plunked Ian Kinsler. Young followed with a double in the gap in right-center, scoring another two runs to pull the Rangers to within 6-5.

The A's were able to hold on, though, as Ruddy Lugo quieted the rally in the seventh, and also pitched a scoreless eighth, while Huston Street set the Rangers down in order in the ninth for his 15th save.

Game Notes

Prior to the game, Texas activated infielder Travis Metcalf from the 15-day disabled list. Metcalf had been out since Aug. 28 with a strained left hamstring...Oakland is 6-13 over it's last 19 games...Young extended his hitting streak to 13 games...Millwood has given up 13 earned runs in 11 innings in September.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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