Rangers recap: Bullpen craters in eighth as A’s rally for seven

The Rangers seemed to be in control but the Oakland Athletics had other ideas. The A’s scored seven runs in the eight, including four against Shawn Tolleson to beat Texas 7-5 Friday night at Globe Life Park.

The Rangers led 5-0 when Tolleson started the eighth.

Pitching: Starter Colby Lewis held the A’s scoreless through six innings, striking out a season-high eight batters and allowing just two hits and two walks. Alex Claudio pitched a perfect seventh. Tolleson was touched for four runs in the eighth, including a lead-off homer by Mark Canha. Roman Mendez took over with two outs and two on. He walked Baylor ex Max Muncy to load the bases and Josh Reddick singled in two more runs. Nefti Feliz replaced Mendez and surrendered a two-run double to right to give the A’s a 6-5 lead. Canha, who led off with a homer, singled in another run before Canha was caught trying to steal second to end the inning.

Hitting: Kyle Blanks and Prince Fielder each had solo homers in the second and fourth innings and Jake Smolinski fought back from an 0-2 count to drive in a run with a sac fly in the fourth. The Rangers added an insurance run in the seventh after Rougned Odor led off with a triple down the first-base line and scored on Leonys Martin’s sac fly to left. Fielder also had an opposite-field double to the left field corner.

Notable: Shin-Soo Choo started in right after taking the past two games off. He doubled off the wall in center in the fourth to snap an 0 for 20 slump. Fielder’s homer was his first of the season at Globe Life Park and second overall. Kyle Blanks homered in his second game with the Rangers. He last homered May 31, 2014 with Oakland.

This story was originally published May 1, 2015 at 10:18 PM with the headline "Rangers recap: Bullpen craters in eighth as A’s rally for seven."