***See Tonight’s Game Preview & GameThread #1 Here***
***See Tonight’s GameThread #2 Here***
During this magical run of being the best team in baseball since June 16th (26 wins in last 33 games), the A’s have specialized in come from behind victories by doing four things well:
1) Driving up opposing starters pitch counts
2) Feasting off middle relievers
3) Hitting the big late inning homerun
4) Shut down relief pitching from Treinen and the Boys
The A’s had all of those elements working tonight, driving the dominant Rangers starter Martin Perez out after 6 innings with 107 pitches, taking advantage of the weak middle relievers of the Rangers (Cory Gearrin, Alex Claudio, Jose Leclerc) for five runs (courtesy of not one, but two Khris Davis homers) and 4 2/3rds of scoreless innings from the A’s relief corps.