Post-Game Show: A’s 9, Rangers 0

D-tails
• Boxscore, AL West Standings, AL Wild Card Standings

Story of the Game
RHP Scott Feldman, searching for his 17th win and his eighth in a row, took a one-hit shutout to the sixth inning Monday, then ran smack into a brick wall.

The Rangers tired lineup, which sat through four rain delays in the previous eight day, hit the wall much earlier.

It combined for one ugly loss that eliminated any remaining margin for error on the nine-game homestand against AL West opponents. The loss was the Rangers third in four games on the homestand and dropped them 4.5 games back of Boston in the AL wild card. They remained six back of Los Angeles in the AL West with 19 games remaining.

After allowing just one hit through the first five innings, Feldman retired just four more hitters. The first run scored on a swinging bunt but Feldman complicated matters by allowing consecutive two-out doubles to Ryan Sweeney and Kurt Suzuki before escaping the inning. He couldn’t escape the seventh, however. He loaded the bases before being removed with one out. RHP Jason Grilli allowed all three inherited runners to score.

Offensively, the Rangers did nothing against Tomko. The journeyman – he’s with his ninth major league team in 13 seasons – pitched the second shutout of his career. He allowed just five hits. Tomko took advantage of a Rangers lineup that looked tired and lacking in energy.

Three Up
• SS Elvis Andrus extended his hitting streak to 16 games, setting a new club record for rookies.
• It did not rain during the game.
• Kanye West didn’t show up.

Three Down
• The Rangers managed just five hits against RHP Brett Tomko, who entered the game with one shutout in 265 starts. He began the day with the second-most starts in major league history among pitchers with one or fewer shutouts. It was Tomko’s first complete game since 2005.
• RHP Jason Grilli retired just one of the four batters he faced and allowed all three runners he inherited to score. Since returning from the DL on August 22, Grilli has allowed opponents a .348 batting average, a .462 on-base percentage and compiled an 11.81 ERA.
• OF Marlon Byrd has hit a little something of a lull after carrying the team for a week. Byrd, 0-for-3 on Monday, is hitless in his last 11 at-bats and just 2-for-15 since the Rangers returned home.

Stat o’ the Game
19: Consecutive hitless at-bats with runners in scoring position in the Rangers last four losses. They are 1-for-22 with men in scoring position in their five losses in September.

Player of the Game
Really no sense in even voting tonight. Let’s make it Oakland RHP Brett Tomko by acclimation.

Flying Saucer/Flying Fish Depot Double Dip
Flying Saucer: No winners (Brat coupon still good through Sept. 15).
Flying Fish: No winners.

Home Run Pool
No winners.