Mike Fiers gave one unearned run in six innings and three relievers made it stand up as the visiting Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 3-1 Wednesday night.
The Athletics improved to 22-10, and play the Rangers again Thursday before taking on the Houston Astros for a weekend road series that could help determine the champion of the American League West.
Fiers (4-1), who has been getting ample run support since his arrival in 2018, had to make do with an A's attack that was hitless through five innings against Texas left-hander Kolby Allard and squandered opportunities to put the game out of reach.
Joakim Soria, Jake Diekman and finally Liam Hendriks closed out the Rangers (11-19). It was the 10th save in 11 opportunities for Hendriks.
Hendriks, who has been flawless since blowing his first save opportunity in the opener against the Los Angeles Angels, recorded two strikeouts and a ground ball to end it.
The Athletics added a run in the eighth to make it 3-1 when Robbie Grossman was hit by a pitch by Jonathan Hernandez with the bases loaded, but lost a chance to break the game wide open.
Stephen Piscotty, Mark Canha and Matt Olson opened with consecutive singles off Hernandez. Grossman, hitting for Khris Davis, was hit by a pitch to drive in a run.
Texas summoned right-hander Nick Goody, who proceeded to strike out Sean Murphy, pinch hitter Tony Kemp and finally Vinmael Machin to prevent further damage.
Machin was playing third base in place of Matt Chapman, who was rested a day after taking a pitch to the head. Manager Bob Melvin said Chapman's day off was precautionary and there was no concussion involved.
Fiers departed with a one-run lead after giving up one unearned run in six innings. He walked two and struck out seven, including five in a row in the fourth and fifth innings. After having thrown 91 pitches, 56 for strikes, manager Bob Melvin brought in Soria for the seventh inning.
Allard came undone in the sixth inning, during which the Athletics took a 2-1 lead on a run-scoring single from Stephen Piscotty and a wild pitch by reliever Luis Garcia.
With one out, Allard walked both Marcus Semien and Ramon Laureano. Piscotty followed with a clean single to left _ his league-leading 26th RBI in the month of August _ to score Semien and tie the score 1-1.
Allard (0-3) was pulled after walking Mark Canha, but Garcia uncorked an 0-2 wild pitch that brought home Laureano to make it 2-1. Garcia struck out Matt Olson for the second out and after pinch hitter Robbie Grossman was walked intentionally, Sean Murphy flied to center for the third out.
The closest thing the Athletics had to a hit through five innings came on a drive to right by Sean Murphy. Joe Gallo, however, laid out and caught it on a dive. Had Gallo missed, Olson, who reached on an an infield error by Scott Zolak, may have scored from first.
The Rangers scored an unearned run against Fiers in the third inning to open the scoring.
Shin-Soo Choo reached on bloop single with one out, with Danny Santana drawing a walk. After Jose Trevino flied out, Choo and Santana executed a double steal. Catcher Sean Murphy's throw, however, sailed over second baseman Franklin Baretto's head, bringing in Choo.
