Postgame Report: TEX (-235) Winner

Our first pick of the second half was a winner with the Rangers covering the A's 6-2 on a strong start from Jacob DeGrom.  His line on the night:  6.0 IP 3H 1ER 9K 1BB -- DeGrom moves to 10-2 on the season with the win.

JT Ginn pitched five innings for the A's and only allowed one earned run.  He exited having only thrown 58 pitches.  For some reason A's Manager Mark Kotsay brought in Sean Newcomb in the sixth.  I guess he was trying to get lefty lefty on Corey Seager.  The righty Marcus Semien took him deep to put the Rangers up 2-1. 

Newcomb had pitched in Monday night's game and threw 25 pitches.  The A's could of went to Jack Perkins or Osvaldo Bido in that spot, both were available with a days rest.  

It's 2-1 Rangers in the bottom of the seventh.  With two outs in the inning, A's reliever Justin Sterner gives up a pair of singles to the eight and nine hitters and gets lefty Josh Smith with lefty Corey Seager on deck.  Kotsay goes to Hogan Harris to get lefty lefty on Smith and Seager.  Smith drives in a run with a base knock and Seager hits a three run homer to put the Rangers up 6-1.

That has been the story of the A's bullpen all season.  I still think Perkins was the call in the sixth.  If Perkins gets you two scoreless, it's a 1-1 into the eighth.  

DeGrom earned the win tonight and the Rangers' bullpen brought it home.  Sean Armstrong struck out the side in the ninth.  The A's are certainly a sad sack group.  They are like the Bad News Bears, playing in that trampy Sutter Health Park in Sacramento.  Down and out in Sac Town.  

On a side note, The Colonel went 1-2 with a walk against DeGrom.  DeGrom nailed him with a 98 mph four seamer in the first but Kurtz got him back in the sixth with a base knock.  He'll remember that one for the rest of his life.  A base hit off DeGrom, one of the all time greats.