ARLINGTON, Texas — Brett Tomko pitched a five-hitter for his 100th major league win and the Oakland Athletics dealt a blow to Texas' playoff hopes, routing the Rangers 9-0 on Monday night.
Released by the New York Yankees on July 29, Tomko (5-3) struck out three and didn't walk a batter in his second career shutout and 13th complete game. He beat Scott Feldman, snapping the right-hander's seven-game winning streak.
The Rangers have lost three of their first four on a nine-game homestand, falling 4 1/2 games behind Boston for the AL wild card. It's the farthest Texas has been out of a playoff spot all season.
Texas was shut out for the second consecutive game and has not scored in 19 innings.
Tomko threw 114 pitches. His only other shutout was Aug. 26, 2004, with San Francisco against Florida. His previous complete game came in 2005 for the Giants.
Feldman (16-5), tied for second in the AL in wins, gave up six runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander lost for the first time since July 29. He had allowed only one earned run over his past four starts.
Ryan Sweeney had four RBIs and Adam Kennedy added three more as last-place Oakland won for the sixth time in eight games.
Texas Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman reaches up to grab a grounder back to the mound by Oakland Athletics' Jack Cust in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. Cust was out at first. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Feldman allowed a second-inning double to Scott Hairston, then retired his next 10 batters. The A's finally broke through with three runs in the sixth and four in the seventh.
Daric Barton doubled leading off the sixth and advanced to third on a fielder's choice.
Kennedy hit a roller between the mound and first that Chris Davis fielded, but the first baseman's throw home was late and Barton scored on the infield single to break the scoreless tie.
Sweeney and Kurt Suzuki each had two-out RBI doubles to extend Oakland's lead to 3-0.
Tomko, who has a 100-102 career record, allowed one hit through four innings. The right-hander gave up leadoff singles in the fifth, sixth and seventh, but all three runners were erased by double plays to end the scoring threats.
Feldman was removed in favor of Jason Grilli after loading the bases in the seventh. Grilli gave up an RBI single to Rajai Davis and a three-run double to Sweeney.
Kennedy added a two-run single in the eighth.
NOTES: Texas 3B Michael Young continues his rehab from a strained hamstring. Young said he'll know on Thursday, an off day, when he'll be able to return to the lineup. ... Oakland RHP Vin Mazzaro, who has missed his last two starts due to right shoulder tendinitis, had another bullpen session. The team is trying to decide whether to shut down Mazzaro for the rest of the season. ... The Rangers originally planned on taking batting practice outdoors, but the field was covered before the game to protect an infield that was already soaked from four days of rain, so the hitters were back in the indoor cages. ... Texas SS Elvis Andrus singled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, a Rangers rookie record.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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