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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Coco Crisp and Khris Davis got Oakland off to a quick start against Yu Darvish. Then came their big blows against a hard-throwing reliever to clinch the fourth series in a row for the Athletics.
Crisp and Davis both hit two-run homers in the eighth off Matt Bush and the A's beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 6-4 on Wednesday night.
Davis had also homered in the first off Darvish, after Crisp led off the game with a triple into the right-field corner and scored on Jed Lowrie's sacrifice fly.
"I think we all enjoy playing with each other, that we're going to get the job done," Davis said. "There's a loose relax-ness in the clubhouse before the games. It's a good chemistry. Winning creates that."
While still eight games under .500 for the season, the A's (47-55) have won nine of 13 games since the All-Star break. They have won four series in a row for the first time since May 2014, and they haven't lost to Darvish in more than four years.
"I know your record's your record, but we feel like we should have a better record. Now some guys that started off really cold are swinging the bats a lot better," manager Bob Melvin said. "And now we've got a couple players in here that have brought some enthusiasm, playing hard, fighting for their jobs, want some playing time."
Ryan Dull (5-2) threw 1 1-3 perfect innings in relief of Sean Manaea, who struck out nine without a walk in 6 2-3 innings. Ryan Madson worked the ninth for his 22nd save in 28 chances, two nights after giving up Adrian Beltre's game-ending homer in the series opener.
Darvish, 1-8 in 11 career starts against Oakland with that win coming May 16, 2012, struck out six without a walk. He left with a 3-2 lead after retiring 16 of the last 18 batters he faced, striking out Davis on a breaking pitch to end the sixth with a runner at third.
"He's solid. You go out there, you know you're going to be in a battle," Crisp said.
Ian Desmond hit his 20th homer for the Rangers, a two-run shot in the fifth that put them ahead 3-2. That came two innings after the All-Star center fielder had a two-out double and scored on Beltre's single.
Crisp's homer in the eighth was on a 99-mph fastball from Bush (3-2) that put the A's up 4-3. Davis second homer of the night, and 25th of the season, came on a 97-mph heater.
"The ball was up and center-cut," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "He's usually down. ... I would say that's what the issue was."
SHORT HOPS
Davis had his 10th career multihomer game, his second this season against the Rangers. He hit three homers at home against them May 17. ... Manaea, a rookie lefty, hasn't walked a batter over 26 2-3 innings his last four starts. ... Oakland has won 15 of their last 19 games when the opponent starts a right-handed pitcher.
PLAYING THE FIELD
Oakland has played seven consecutive games without an error, which came after a season-high streak of seven games in a row with an error. All those miscues came right after the A's set a club record by going 15 games in a row without an error.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: LHP Rich Hill, who hasn't started since July 17 because of a persistent blister on his finger, will throw Friday without covering the blister. Melvin is "semi-optimistic" that Hill can pitch Sunday. If not, Sonny Gray will start the series finale at Cleveland. ... Lefty reliever Sean Doolittle, who missed his 28th game because of a strained left shoulder, is playing catch at 75 feet.
Rangers: Texas Rangers slugger Prince Fielder will have his season-ending surgery Friday to repair a herniated disk in his neck. The surgery will be performed in Dallas by Dr. Drew Dossett, who two years ago did a cervical fusion of two disks just below the area that is bothering Fielder now.
UP NEXT
Athletics: After playing 13 consecutive days since the All-Star break, the A's are off Thursday before opening a three-game series in Cleveland on Friday night.
Rangers: Cole Hamels, 18-3 in 32 starts for Texas since coming in a trade from Philadelphia last July, pitches the opener of a four-game home series against Kansas City. The lefty beat the Royals on the road Saturday, when he was also matched up against right-hander Yordano Ventura (6-8).
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