AL: TEXAS (69-78) at OAKLAND (73-76) <h3>A's playing for pride against Rangers</h3> <div class="pre">Texas (69-78) at Oakland (73-76) 3:55 pm EDT</div> <div class="pre">OAKLAND, California (Ticker) - The Oakland Athletics are trying</div>to salvage some pride as the season winds down. Oakland, which has not finished under .500 since 1998, continuesits three-game series with the equally woeful Texas Rangers onSaturday. The Athletics, who have won four of five, need to win eight oftheir last 13 games to avoid a losing season. T hat is somethingthat they are not used to, considering the A's have made theplayoffs in five of the last seven seasons. Joe Blanton takes the mound for Oakland, which rallied fromsix-runs down to post an 11-9 victory on Friday. Blanton (13-9,3.77 ERA) is 4-1 with a 2.41 ERA over his last six starts, andis 5-2 with a 4.86 ERA in 10 appearances - nine starts - againstTexas. The Rangers counter with Brandon McCarthy (5-9, 5.04), who iswinless since July 31. McCarthy returned from the disabled liston Tuesday after missing a month with a stress fracture in hisright shoulder. McCarthy, who is 1-5 with a 4.38 ERA in his last 11 starts, wason a 45-pitch limit and allowed three runs and three hits intwo-thirds of an inning of a 4-1 loss to Detroit.
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">TEXAS AT OAKLAND -- LINEUPS TEXAS OAKLAND AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI Frank Catalanotto 1B .275 10 43 Shannon Stewart LF .291 12 47 Ian Kinsler 2B .271 19 56 Daric Barton 1B .409 1 2 Michael Young SS .312 7 76 Nick Swisher CF .264 21 72 Marlon Byrd RF .307 9 63 Jack Cust RF .259 23 76 Jason Botts LF .235 2 13 Mark Ellis 2B .274 17 65 Hank Blalock DH .299 8 26 Dan Johnson DH .231 15 55 David Murphy CF .388 2 10 Marco Scutaro SS .264 7 41 Jarrod Saltalamacc C .237 7 18 Jack Hannahan 3B .263 3 17 Ramon Vazquez 3B .240 8 27 Kurt Suzuki C .251 7 34 Brandon Mccarthy RHP (5-9, 5.04) Joe Blanton RHP (13-9, 3.77)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND WARMUPS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY (5-9, 5.04) OAK - JOE BLANTON (13-9, 3.77) UMPIRES: HP - ALFONSO MARQUEZ 1B - CHUCK MERIWETHER 2B - RICK REED 3B - TIM TIMMONS WEATHER: 70 Degrees, partly cloudy WIND: 11 mph, out to right</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND STARTING BATS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY AND JARROD SALTALAMACCHIA OAK - JOE BLANTON AND KURT SUZUKI DUE UP FOR TEXAS: F CATALANOT (.275, 10 HR, 43 RBI) I KINSLER (.271, 19 HR, 56 RBI) M YOUNG (.312, 7 HR, 76 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 OAKLAND 0 0 0 (BOT 1) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: S STEWART (.291, 12 HR, 47 RBI) D BARTON (.409, 1 HR, 2 RBI) N SWISHER (.264, 21 HR, 72 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS OAKLAND (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .311 M Byrd rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307 J Botts lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 H Blalock dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299 D Murphy cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .388 J Saltalamacchia c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .291 D Barton 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .409 N Swisher cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .264 J Cust rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .259 M Ellis 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 D Johnson dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 M Scutaro ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .264 J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .251 Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 0 -- 0 OAKLAND - -- 0 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.04 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.75 Pitches-strikes: J Blanton 14-10. Ground balls-fly balls: J Blanton 0-1. Batters faced: J Blanton 3. UMPIRES: HP--Alfonso Marquez. 1B--Chuck Meriwether. 2B--Rick Reed. 3B--Tim Timmons. Weather: 68 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND CONFIRMED STARTERS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY OAK - JOE BLANTON</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE SINGLE BY JACK CUST SCORED SHANNON STEWART. SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J CUST ON FIRST, D BARTON ON SECOND, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0 OAKLAND 1 BOTTOM, 1ST DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M ELLIS (.274, 17 HR, 65 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 OAKLAND 1 1 2 0 (TOP 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR TEXAS: M BYRD (.307, 9 HR, 63 RBI) J BOTTS (.235, 2 HR, 13 RBI) H BLALOCK (.299, 8 HR, 26 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS OAKLAND (1) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .311 M Byrd rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307 J Botts lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 H Blalock dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299 D Murphy cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .388 J Saltalamacchia c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 Totals 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .293 D Barton 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .409 N Swisher cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .263 J Cust rf 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .273 D Johnson dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231 M Scutaro ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .264 J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .251 Totals 5 1 2 1 1 2 5 BATTING: RBI - J Cust (77). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - D Johnson 1. Team LOB - 2. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 0 -- 0 OAKLAND - 1 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 5.08 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.75 Pitches-strikes: B McCarthy 25-16; J Blanton 14-10. Ground balls-fly balls: B McCarthy 0-1; J Blanton 0-1. Batters faced: B McCarthy 6; J Blanton 3. UMPIRES: HP--Alfonso Marquez. 1B--Chuck Meriwether. 2B--Rick Reed. 3B--Tim Timmons. Weather: 68 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 0 OAKLAND 1 1 2 0 (BOT 2) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: M SCUTARO (.264, 7 HR, 41 RBI) J HANNAHAN (.263, 3 HR, 17 RBI) K SUZUKI (.251, 7 HR, 34 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS OAKLAND (1) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .311 M Byrd rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306 J Botts lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 H Blalock dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .298 D Murphy cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .388 J Saltalamacchia c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 Totals 6 0 0 0 0 3 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .293 D Barton 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .409 N Swisher cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .263 J Cust rf 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .273 D Johnson dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231 M Scutaro ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .264 J Hannahan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 K Suzuki c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .251 Totals 5 1 2 1 1 2 5 BATTING: RBI - J Cust (77). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - D Johnson 1. Team LOB - 2. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 00 -- 0 OAKLAND - 1 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 5.08 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 3.74 Pitches-strikes: B McCarthy 25-16; J Blanton 23-17. Ground balls-fly balls: B McCarthy 0-1; J Blanton 1-2. Batters faced: B McCarthy 6; J Blanton 6. UMPIRES: HP--Alfonso Marquez. 1B--Chuck Meriwether. 2B--Rick Reed. 3B--Tim Timmons. Weather: 68 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 0 OAKLAND 1 0 1 2 0 (TOP 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR TEXAS: D MURPHY (.388, 2 HR, 10 RBI) J SALTALAMACCHIA (.237, 7 HR, 18 RBI) R VAZQUEZ (.240, 8 HR, 27 RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS OAKLAND (1) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .274 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .311 M Byrd rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306 J Botts lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 H Blalock dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .298 D Murphy cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .388 J Saltalamacchia c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .237 R Vazquez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .240 Totals 6 0 0 0 0 3 0 BATTING: Team LOB - 0. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .293 D Barton 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .409 N Swisher cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .263 J Cust rf 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .273 D Johnson dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231 M Scutaro ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 J Hannahan 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 K Suzuki c 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .250 Totals 8 1 2 1 1 3 5 BATTING: RBI - J Cust (77). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - D Johnson 1. Team LOB - 2. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 00 -- 0 OAKLAND - 10 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 2 2 1 1 1 3 0 5.03 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 3.74 Pitches-strikes: B McCarthy 36-24; J Blanton 23-17. Ground balls-fly balls: B McCarthy 0-3; J Blanton 1-2. Batters faced: B McCarthy 9; J Blanton 6. UMPIRES: HP--Alfonso Marquez. 1B--Chuck Meriwether. 2B--Rick Reed. 3B--Tim Timmons. Weather: 68 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 0 0 OAKLAND 1 0 1 2 0 (BOT 3) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: S STEWART (.293, 1-FOR-1) D BARTON (.409, 0-FOR-0, BB) N SWISHER (.263, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS OAKLAND (1) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto 1b 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .273 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .311 M Byrd rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306 J Botts lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 H Blalock dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .298 D Murphy cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .382 J Saltalamacchia c 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .237 R Vazquez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .239 Totals 9 0 0 0 1 4 2 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .293 D Barton 1b 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .409 N Swisher cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .263 J Cust rf 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .273 D Johnson dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231 M Scutaro ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 J Hannahan 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 K Suzuki c 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .250 Totals 8 1 2 1 1 3 5 BATTING: RBI - J Cust (77). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - D Johnson 1. Team LOB - 2. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 000 -- 0 OAKLAND - 10 -- 1 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 2 2 1 1 1 3 0 5.03 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 3 0 0 0 1 4 0 3.72 Pitches-strikes: B McCarthy 36-24; J Blanton 43-27. Ground balls-fly balls: B McCarthy 0-3; J Blanton 1-4. Batters faced: B McCarthy 9; J Blanton 10. UMPIRES: HP--Alfonso Marquez. 1B--Chuck Meriwether. 2B--Rick Reed. 3B--Tim Timmons. Weather: 68 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, out to right.</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL AT OAKLAND - SCORING UPDATE SOLO HOME RUN BY NICK SWISHER (22) TO CENTER WITH 2 OUT IN THE 3RD OFF BRANDON MCCARTHY. CURRENT SCORE: TEXAS 0, OAKLAND 2 DUE UP FOR OAKLAND: J CUST (.261, 1-FOR-1, RBI)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">AL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - TEXAS 0 0 0 0 0 0 OAKLAND 1 0 1 2 3 0 (TOP 4) CURRENT PITCHERS: TEX - BRANDON MCCARTHY OAK - JOE BLANTON DUE UP FOR TEXAS: I KINSLER (.270, 0-FOR-1) M YOUNG (.311, 0-FOR-1) M BYRD (.306, 0-FOR-1)</div>
AL: TEXAS at OAKLAND <div class="pre">TEXAS (0) VS OAKLAND (2) - END 3RD - IN PROGRESS TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Catalanotto 1b 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .273 I Kinsler 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .270 M Young ss 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .311 M Byrd rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306 J Botts lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 H Blalock dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .298 D Murphy cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .382 J Saltalamacchia c 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .237 R Vazquez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .239 Totals 9 0 0 0 1 4 2 BATTING: Team LOB - 1. OAKLAND ab r h rbi bb so lob avg S Stewart lf 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 .292 D Barton 1b 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 .391 N Swisher cf 2 1 1 1 0 0 1 .265 J Cust rf 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 .261 M Ellis 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .273 D Johnson dh 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .231 M Scutaro ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .263 J Hannahan 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .260 K Suzuki c 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .250 Totals 12 2 3 2 1 3 5 BATTING: HR - N Swisher (22, 3rd inning off B McCarthy 0 on, 2 Out). RBI - J Cust (77), N Swisher (73). 2-out RBI - N Swisher. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - D Johnson 1. Team LOB - 2. ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS - 000 -- 0 OAKLAND - 101 -- 2 ---------------------------------------------------- TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era B McCarthy 3 3 2 2 1 3 1 5.07 OAKLAND ip h r er bb so hr era J Blanton 3 0 0 0 1 4 0 3.72 Pitches-strikes: B McCarthy 52-35; J Blanton 43-27. Ground balls-fly balls: B McCarthy 0-6; J Blanton 1-4. Batters faced: B McCarthy 13; J Blanton 10. UMPIRES: HP--Alfonso Marquez. 1B--Chuck Meriwether. 2B--Rick Reed. 3B--Tim Timmons. Weather: 68 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 10 mph, out to right.</div>
