Brandon Nimmo has 4 hits and 5 RBIs as Rangers beat A’s 8-5 to close gap on Astros in AL West

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brandon Nimmo set season highs with four hits and five RBIs, Corey Seager scored three times and the Texas Rangers beat the Athletics 8-5 on Tuesday night.

Texas pulled within one game of Houston atop the AL West. The first-place Astros lost 5-1 to the Chicago White Sox in a matchup of division leaders.

Seager doubled twice and scored on Nimmo’s first three RBI hits, including a bouncing two-run single in the fifth inning. Seager had the second of two sacrifice flies in the sixth.

Jeff McNeil hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the Athletics, who lost their fifth straight game and have four losing streaks at least that long in the past two months. That stretch includes skids of 10 and nine games.

MacKenzie Gore (8-10) pitched around five singles and four walks, allowing one run in 5 1/3 innings.

Jacob Latz struck out both batters he faced for his 28th save in 31 chances after the A’s turned an 8-1 deficit through six innings into a save situation for Texas.

The Athletics had 11 hits, seven walks and two hit batters but left the bases loaded twice and stranded 14 runners.

Brady Basso (0-2) was replaced after Seager’s second double with one out in the third inning. The left-hander allowed four hits and two runs.

Ezequiel Duran saved a run with Texas leading 2-1 in the fourth. The second baseman made a spectacular diving stop on a one-hopper and beat speedy leadoff man Henry Bolte with a quick throw to first.

Athletics first baseman Tommy White exited with low back soreness after taking his first swing of the game leading off the second.

Up next

A second straight pair of lefty starters is set as Texas goes for the series sweep Wednesday. Jacob Lopez (5-4, 4.62 ERA) is scheduled for the Athletics against Cody Bradford (0-3, 3.42).

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