Andruw Jones hits tiebreaking homer, Rangers beat A’s in opener of doubleheader

Jones hits tiebreaking HR, Rangers beat A’s

ARLINGTON, Texas — Andruw Jones hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics 6-3 Friday in the first game of a doubleheader.

With the score 3-all, Santiago Casilla (1-2) walked Josh Hamilton leading off the eighth. Jones followed, pulling a 2-1 pitch off the screen on the left-field pole for his fifth homer.

Nelson Cruz, who had three RBIs, followed Jones with his 13th homer to give the Rangers a 6-3 lead.

C.J. Wilson (2-2) worked a perfect eighth for the win. Frank Francisco pitched the ninth for his 11th save in as many chances and 16th in a row over the last two seasons.

Marlon Byrd also homered for the Rangers, who’ve won five of seven.

Travis Buck homered and went 3 for 4 for the A’s, who also got three hits from Adam Kennedy.

Oakland got another strong performance from rookie left-hander Josh Outman, who struck out a career-high nine and allowed three runs and three hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Outman has given up five earned runs and 13 hits in his last 26 1-3 innings over four starts.

Rangers starter Tommy Hunter, called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier Friday for his first big league start this season, allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Last season Hunter went 0-2 with a 16.36 ERA in three starts for Texas.

Left-hander Matt Harrison was placed in the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 26, due to left shoulder soreness, opening a roster spot for Hunter.

Cruz gave Texas the lead with a two-run double in the first.

Outman settled down, retiring 17 of 18 from the first through the seventh until Byrd’s solo homer tied it at 3.

Buck’s 423-foot two-run shot tied it in the second, and Ryan Sweeney’s RBI single in the sixth gave Oakland a 3-2 edge.