Ex-SF Giants pitcher Ross Stripling remains winless for Oakland A’s

ARLINGTON, Texas — Cody Bradford struck out seven in another strong start, Adolis García had a two-run single on three hits and the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics 6-2 on Wednesday night, ending a three-game losing streak.

Shea Langeliers struck out two and grounded against Bradford, his old college classmate 100 miles south of the Rangers’ home in Baylor, and finished 0 for 4 a night after becoming the A’s first starting catcher in 99 years with a three-homer game. .

Bradford attended a high school not far from Globe Life Field, as did Langeliers, who held out his arms after being called for strikes in third grade. He had a conversation with umpire Ramon De Jesus as Texas catcher Jonah Heim walked away.

“We had a good game plan for Shea today, we wanted to mix things up,” Bradford said. “I got a little help from Jonah’s framing abilities on a few at-bats there.”

Heim hit a game-tying two-run single for Texas in the first inning as Oakland’s three-game winning streak ended. Tyler Nevin’s single in the first inning gave the A’s a 1-0 lead.

Bradford (3-0) allowed just one unearned run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings, including Darell Hernaiz’s first in the big leagues on a single in the seventh. Zack Gelof scored in the top of the eighth against Texas reliever Yerry Rodríguez.

“Relief,” Hernaiz said of his first MLB hit. “I don’t feel too bad at the plate, but I haven’t had any success. It was nice to see one go down. Now I hope I get hot and keep hitting.

Bradford lowered his ERA to 1.40 with wins in all three starts for the World Series champions. The 26-year-old, in his second major league season, is just the third pitcher in franchise history to go 3-0 with an ERA of 1.40 or less in his first three departures of a season.

Ross Stripling (0-3) allowed 11 hits and six runs in six innings with three walks and five strikeouts. The right-hander lost a career-worst eight straight decisions after going 0-5 with San Francisco last year. Stripling’s most recent victory came in his last start in 2022 for Toronto.

“When he had to make pitches, he did,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “Overall, the line isn’t great, but for him to come back and pitch the sixth inning, that says a lot. He had two innings where a few hits fell and hurt him, and I think that’s just the story tonight.

Bruce Bochy, a four-time World Series winner after leading Texas to its first title last year, became the 10th manager with at least 2,100 career wins. Bochy’s regular season record is 2,100-2,106.

TRAINERS ROOM

As: OF Brent Rooker missed a second game with abdominal pain since leaving Sunday’s win at Detroit. Kotsay said the club was considering whether Rooker would need a stint on the injured list.

Rangers: RHP Max Scherzer appears earlier than expected in his recovery from back surgery. The three-time Cy Young Award winner held a bullpen session Tuesday and planned to hold live batting practice next week. … RHP Michael Lorenzen allowed six hits, five walks and five runs in 4 2/3 innings for Triple-A Round Rock in what could have been his final rehab start. He threw 89 pitches. The Rangers signed the free agent at the end of spring training and gave him more time to prepare by starting the season with him on the IL, officially with a neck strain.

FOLLOWING

Oakland LHP JP Sears (0-1, 8.68) is scheduled to face RHP Jon Gray (0-0, 6.14) in the series finale. Sears has lost four straight decisions since last season, which is the longest skid of his career. Since joining Texas in 2022, Gray is 2-0 with a 3.41 ERA in five starts against the A’s.