JP Sears carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and combined with three relievers on a one-hitter, Seth Brown homered to supply the game’s only run and the Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 1-0 on Thursday.
Sears (1-1) allowed leadoff walks in the first, second and fifth innings before Adolis García ended the no-hit bid by lining a one-out single to left field in the seventh on an 0-2 sweeper. The 28-year-old left-hander was then pulled after throwing 88 pitches. He struck out five, including 2023 World Series MVP Corey Seager three times.
Sears’ longest career start lasted 7 1/3 innings, coming on July 4, 2023, in a 1-0 win at Detroit. He said he realized he had a no-hitter in either the fourth or fifth inning.
“It’s something that’s hard to ignore,” he said. “But pitch by pitch, you don’t think about it when you’re out there.”
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After García’s single, Austin Adams hit Jonah Heim with a pitch. Pinch-hitter Jared Walsh then hit a blooper between the mound and second base. Second baseman Zack Gelof slid while attempting to make the catch, but dropped the ball. Adams picked up the ball and threw to third base to force García for the second out. Third baseman Abraham Toro then threw to second, forcing Heim and completing a bizarre inning-ending double play.
“No one was talking, so I just called it,” Gelof said. “Hit my glove. I saw Austin standing right there. He knew what to do.”
A’s manager Mark Kotsay calld the play the likely “momentum shifter in the game right there.”
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“You’ve just got to be ready in case they don’t call (the infield fly rule),” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “And if it hits the ground, you’ve got to take off.”
Adams and Lucas Erceg didn’t allow hits in their relief stints, and Mason Miller pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
It was the second time this week that Texas was hitless until the sixth inning. Houston’s Ronel Blanco threw 5 2/3 no-hit innings in the Astros’ 3-1 win on Sunday night.
The Rangers’ Jon Gray (0-1) gave up two singles in addition to Brown’s homer and walked one with nine strikeouts. The 32-year-old right-hander had pitched only 3 2/3 innings in each of his previous two starts.
Brown’s first homer this season, on a 1-0 change-up, was pulled 378 feet, just inside the right field foul pole.
The World Series champion Rangers were shut out for the first time this season. They lost their 2023 finale 1-0 at Seattle, a defeat that cost them the AL West title.
A’s rookie catcher Kyle McCann singled in the third inning for his first major league hit.
TRAINER’S ROOM
A’s: OF Brent Rooker (costochondral cartilage injury) was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Rangers: 1B Nathaniel Lowe (right oblique strain), who hasn’t played this season, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Friday with Double-A Frisco.
UP NEXT
A’s: RHP Paul Blackburn (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will take a season-opening 13-inning scoreless streak into Friday’s home start against Washington RHP Jake Irvin (0-1, 5.73).
Rangers: RHP Dane Dunning (1-1, 4.15) will face Houston RHP J.P. France (0-1, 4.76) in a rematch of ALCS teams in the opener of a three-game series on Friday at Minute Maid Park. The teams split four games last weekend at Globe Life Field.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
