Matt Olson and Chris Bassitt showed why they’re All-Stars this year, helping the Oakland A’s round out a tough skid and unofficial first half with a satisfying 4-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon in Arlington. The A’s finish the first half with a 52-40 record.
After a drought that caught Olson without a home run for 14 games between June 20 and July 7, Olson hit two solo home runs on Sunday. Warming up the jets for his Home Run Derby appearance on Monday in Denver.
Olson’s pair of home runs added to back-to-back home runs hit by Jed Lowrie and Sean Murphy in the second inning off Rangers starter Kolby Allard. After a drought, the A’s hit eight home runs over two games. Lowrie and Murphy hit home runs in Saturday’s win, too.
A’s newest All-Star Chris Bassitt completed his impressive first half with a seven-inning outing in which he allowed one run on on RBI double from Nick Solak — scoring David Dahl from first — and struck out three with four hits. Bassitt lowered his ERA to 3.28, eighth-best in the American League, with a league leading 118 innings pitched.
The Rangers brought the game-tying run to the plate in the ninth against closer Lou Trivino, who walked Nate Lowe and gave up a hit to Dahl. Pinch hitter Jonah Heim hit a ball 389 feet into Ramón Laureano’s glove.
