OAKLAND, Calif. — Eric Patterson homered, Trevor Cahill won in his second start since getting called up from the minors and the Oakland Athletics beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 on Wednesday to reclaim first place in the AL West.
Ryan Sweeney and Kevin Kouzmanoff produced consecutive RBI groundouts in the first as the A's staked Cahill to an early lead. Patterson connected for his second homer leading off the fifth against Colby Lewis (3-1).
Cahill (1-1), a 10-game winner last season as a rookie, allowed only two baserunners past first in five solid innings to earn the victory. He was brought up from Triple-A Sacramento last Friday to start at Toronto as the A's deal with an injury-depleted pitching staff.
The Rangers won the first four games of their road trip before dropping the last two, losing their first series in the last three.
Daric Barton had an RBI single, doubled and scored a run for the A's. The Rangers had led the division for the first time all season the previous three days.
Cahill gave the A's a boost after their starters had gone 1-6 over the past eight games, helping Oakland win its first series in the last three.
Brad Ziegler pitched a perfect eighth and Andrew Bailey finished the 2-hour, 26-minute game with a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save in as many chances. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year hasn't allowed a run in a career-best 20 2/3 innings dating to last Sept. 6 and has converted 26 straight saves overall.
Lewis was coming off consecutive 10-strikeout games but he labored through six innings and saw his pitch count go up in a hurry. He was done after 105 and couldn't beat his former team the way Rich Harden did Monday in the series opener.
Vladimir Guerrero had an RBI single in the sixth for the Rangers' lone run, which was unearned after Michael Young got aboard on Kouzmanoff's throwing error at third base to start the inning.
Rangers manager Ron Washington offered to give Guerrero a day off after he had a grand slam and five RBIs in Tuesday's 7-6 loss.
"Before I could get it out he said no," Washington said.
Since last May 31, the Rangers are 4-11 against the A's, who improved to 8-3 in day games.
Notes
Oakland's Rajai Davis stole his 12th base in 13 attempts. … Texas leadoff man Elvis Andrus was caught stealing for the fourth time. … The A's recalled hard-throwing RHP Henry Rodriguez, who has been clocked at 100 mph, from Triple-A Sacramento to help the bullpen and optioned RHP Vin Mazzaro to Sacramento after his spot start Tuesday. … The Rangers return home for a stretch of 14 in 17 games at Arlington. Bench coach Jackie Moore rejoined the team this series following the death of his daughter. … Ziegler has purchased 200 tickets for military families to attend Saturday's game vs. Tampa Bay through his new foundation "Pastime for Patriots," helping the team salute Armed Forces Day.