A's hope to end struggles, clinch playoff spot vs. Rangers

(SportsNetwork.com) - In spite of recent troubles, the Oakland Athletics are still in an enviable position when it comes to the American League playoff race.

The Athletics hold a two-game lead for the AL's second and final wild card spot with three games to play and they'll begin a pivotal final weekend with game two of a four-game series with the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park.

An Oakland win and a Seattle loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Friday will clinch the postseason trip, but the Athletics have recently appeared unable to seal the deal amid a stretch of just eight wins in 27 games.

That skid includes four straight losses to the last-place Rangers, a run in which they've scored just seven times and batted .129 with runners in scoring position.

"They're all different, but the common denominator is we're not scoring any runs," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "We're getting opportunities to do it and we're still not getting them in."

Early-season ace Scott Kazmir takes the mound Friday while trying to snap out of a funk that's seen him lose all four decisions in his last six starts with an ugly 8.58 earned run average.

He was raked for six runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 6-3 loss to the Rangers 10 days ago and allowed 11 hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings of a no-decision against Philadelphia in his most recent start.

Texas has won 12 of its last 13 games, but still has the AL's worst record.

"It's been fun," Rangers slugger Adrian Beltre said. "We've been playing very well."

And if the Texas players do endure watching Oakland secure a playoff berth, manager Tim Bogar said it might serve them well.

"It's never fun to watch," he said. "I don't want it to happen, but if it does, I kind of hope all these young guys stay out there and watch it. Because that's what we want to be doing. You get to see the joy of their hard work come to fruition. Maybe that will put a little seed in the back of (the Rangers') minds that that's what they want to do."

Nick Tepesch gets the start for Texas after beating Kazmir in the Sept. 16 game by allowing one earned run in six innings.

He got a no-decision but pitched well against the Angels on Sunday, allowing just a run and four hits in seven innings of a 2-1 Texas win.

On Thursday, Beltre's home run in the ninth inning gave the Rangers a 2-1 win.

Beltre stepped up to the plate with one out against Luke Gregerson (5-5) and drove the second pitch he saw over the right field wall for his 19th home run of the season and the win. Elvis Andrus drove in the other run for the Rangers.

Colby Lewis pitched seven innings and gave up a run on six hits with five walks and seven strikeouts. Neftali Feliz (2-1) picked up the win for tossing a scoreless ninth.

Jason Hammel went six-plus innings and let up a run on six hits while Geovany Soto drove in the lone run for the Athletics.