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Otto passes former high school teammate, Texas at top of A’s

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Texas Rangers left fielder Brad Miller can’t catch a double hit from Oakland Athletics’ Sean Murphy in the fourth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif. on Friday, April 22, 2022. (AP Photo/ Jeff Chiu)

PA

Glenn Otto earned his first major league victory, edging out former high school classmate Adam Oller and leading the Texas Rangers against the Oakland Athletics 8-1 on Friday night.

Otto (1-0), called up from Triple-A Round Rock before the game, went two-hitter for five innings. The 26-year-old allowed a run while striking out five and walking one.

“We just went with what worked,” Otto said. “I was able to turn the ball really well and got ahead the majority of those first four innings. We struggled a bit and got through the adversity there with the help of the defense.

Oller (0-2) was scored for five runs and five hits in five innings. The 27-year-old made his third career start and was looking for his first major league win.

The freshman right-handers both attended Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball, Texas, where they graduated a year apart.

“It was a little crazy,” Oller said. “I saw it during the offseason when we went back to an old-timer thing. I hadn’t spoken to him much until then simply because we live in different parts of Houston and our careers have kind of taken us down different paths. But it was good to see him there and get the chance to ride. He threw very well. »

The pair were part of a group text sent by Concordia Lutheran staff members ahead of the game.

“Adam is a great guy,” Otto said. “It was fun to watch his journey and very cool to be able to compete with him tonight.”

Nathaniel Lowe homered to continue his fast start this season and Andy Ibañez also connected for Texas.

A night after rallying after five runs to beat the Mariners and end a five-game losing streak, the Rangers scored five times in the second inning.

Texas relievers Matt Moore, John King and Garrett Richards combined for four scoreless innings to round out both batters.

Lowe extended his hitting streak to eight games, tying a career high, with a two-run homer against Oller in the fifth. The Rangers first baseman entered the day averaging .396 and was 6 for 13 through the first three games of this trip.

Two batters later, Ibañez hit his first homer of the season to give Rangers a 3-0 lead.

Otto was perfect for three innings before the A’s broke through in fourth on back-to-back doubles from Sean Murphy and Seth Brown.

“He was right in command from the first pitch,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “He got in the zone on the guys he needed, attacked the guys he needed, turned on the guys he needed. It was a good throw. We kind of had to show that to show the rest of our guys what it looks like.

A’S IN HONOR OF DAVE STEWART

Dave Stewart, former A’s pitcher and 1989 World Series MVP, will have his No. 34 jersey retired by the A’s on September 11. Stewart won 119 games in eight seasons at Oakland, pitching 49 complete games and nine shutouts while compiling a 3.73 ERA.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: RHP Jon Gray has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a low-grade left knee sprain. The move is retroactive to April 20.

Athletics: RHP James Kaprielian (inflamed right AC joint) kicked off a bullpen session with Triple-A Las Vegas with no problem. Manager Mark Kotsay was unsure of Kaprielian’s next step in rehab. … 3B Kevin Smith (left ankle bruise) did some light fieldwork.

NEXT

A’s RHP Frankie Montas (2-1, 3.63 ERA) pulls off a two-game winning streak in Saturday’s game. Montas has two wins in eight career appearances (five starts) against Texas. Rangers LHP Martín Pérez (0-2, 6.75) will work on extended rest after losing his first two starts.

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