Backed by Triggs' gem, A's continue to roll

ARLINGTON -- The A's fourth consecutive win nearly wasn't. Missed scoring opportunities stained the early innings, a narrow lead almost got away, and their closer exited after just one batter on account of injury.
The news was good on Blake Treinen -- the right-hander has a bruised shin -- and so was the outcome for these unstoppable A's, who pulled out a 3-2 win over the host Rangers at Globe Life Park on Tuesday night behind Andrew Triggs' six-inning effort.
The rebound act -- Triggs yielded six runs in 1 1/3 innings in his previous outing -- continued a string of strong performances from Oakland's starting staff, which has allowed one run or fewer in six of the last nine games.
Their work, complementing a robust offense, has helped the A's to victory in eight of their last nine tries.

"There's no coincidence that we've been winning games and we've been getting six innings or more from the starting pitching," A's manager Bob Melvin said.
"It's not just starting staff, it's across the board," Triggs said. "Those guys go out and put up a run, we want to keep them off the board, and it's just a really fun time right now."
Triggs held Texas to just four hits while completing six innings for the first time this year, limiting them to one run in the sixth after loading the bases with one out. He was awarded the win thanks to Jed Lowrie's go-ahead double in the seventh that knocked Rangers starter Cole Hamels out of the game.
"To only give up one run, that was the key," Melvin said. "Sometimes it can get away a little bit. You pitch well, now you got some traffic, you can't let it get away, and it didn't, so one run was a good outcome, and much better than last time."
Mark Canha homered for the game's first run in the sixth, giving the center fielder three on the season, and Matt Olson delivered a dose of insurance with an RBI double in the eighth.

Treinen was brought in for a five-out save but exited the game after being struck by a line drive from his first batter, Shin-Soo Choo. Right-hander Lou Trivino was summoned in his stead and surrendered an RBI single to Adrián Beltré, before veteran Santiago Casilla secured the save with a perfect ninth.
It was just the sixth appearance of the season for Casilla and first in nearly a week -- a nod to the team's reliance on the entirety of the roster during this torrid stretch.

"That was terrific," Melvin said. "You gotta turn to some experience at that point and he did a nice job."
SOUND SMART
With a pair of hits, Lowrie notched his seventh multi-hit game over his past 10 games, and leads the Majors with 12 this season. Lowrie also leads all of baseball with 37 hits.
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Chad Pinder singled in his first at-bat against Hamels to extend his career-opening streak against the left-hander to 7-for-7. Hamels then hit Pinder with a pitch in the third, before finally retiring him in the fifth via strikeout and enjoying a personal celebration of sorts by throwing up both arms and clenching his fists.

HE SAID IT
"I felt like I was moving the ball around really well with Lucroy. I might have shaken him off once. I was sort of letting him drive and I was in the passenger seat, so it was a fun one and it was a great team win."
-- Triggs, on battery mate Jonathan Lucroy
UP NEXT
The A's will send right-hander Kendall Graveman to the mound for Wednesday's 5:05 p.m. PT series finale at Globe Life Park. Graveman, looking for his first win of the season, is seeking better results after pitching to a 10.07 ERA during his first five starts. The Rangers will counter with right-hander Doug Fister (1-2, 3.95 ERA).