Detwiler gives up Beltre slam as A's fall to Rangers 5-2
ARLINGTON, Texas - ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ross Detwiler felt his command deserting him when he allowed the hit that ended Texas' 24-inning scoreless streak.
The Oakland left-hander wasn't around much longer after giving up Adrian Beltre's grand slam an inning later.
Beltre's decisive fifth-inning homer came three batters after Detwiler hit Shin-Soo Choo with a pitch that broke the leadoff hitter's left forearm in the Texas Rangers' 5-2 victory over the Athletics on Monday night.
"I was fighting myself the inning before that," said Detwiler, who was a teammate of Beltre and Choo when he opened 2015 in the Texas rotation. "I really lost command of the fastball, curveball. I was getting in bad counts and that's what ended up hurting me quite a bit."
The AL West-leading Rangers — the first AL team to 70 wins — were an out shy of 25 straight scoreless innings when Elvis Andrus lined a single to right in the fourth.
Coming off eight shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Baltimore in his first big league start this season, Detwiler (1-1) held the Rangers scoreless for three innings but didn't make it out of the fifth. He gave up seven hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Following the pitch from Detwiler that hit Choo, Ian Desmond and Carlos Beltran singled to set up the 10th career slam for Beltre, who hit his 432nd home to break a tie with Cal Ripken on the career list.
"We have not seen him make pitches like that up to the point," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "I don't know if that rattled him a little bit. From the time he got here up until that point he was making pitches. For three or four batters he didn't."
Beltre's 100th home run at Globe Life Park, which went about a dozen rows above the 14-foot wall in left field, backed seven solid innings from Martin Perez (8-8), who won for the first time since late June.
Ryon Healy led off the second with his sixth homer to give Oakland a 2-0 lead.
The news on Choo, who is headed to the disabled list for the fourth time this season and might be out for the season, dampened a win that followed consecutive shutout losses at home to Detroit.
"He's such a key part of this ballclub, this organization," manager Jeff Banister said of his right fielder, who started this game as the designated hitter. "You feel terrible for him personally and obviously it's a gut punch but one that we're going to be challenged with."
Choo checked his swing as the ball hit an area near his left wrist, and he immediately dropped to one knee. He left after spending several minutes talking to an athletic trainer and was replaced by Nomar Mazara.
The 34-year-old Choo has been limited to 45 games by calf and hamstring strains and lower back inflammation. Team spokesman John Blake said the injury was similar to one sustained in April by catcher Robinson Chirinos, who missed two months.
"Somebody you played with last year, somebody that's your friend, you hate for that pitch to get away from you," said Detwiler, who opened 2015 in the Texas rotation but was let go after starting 0-5. "It's not a good sign when you get pulled out of the game."
Matt Bush struck out two in a perfect eighth, and Sam Dyson got another double play in the ninth for his 27th save.
DETWILER'S NIGHT
The lefty's first seven appearances in the majors this season were out of the Cleveland bullpen in April before he was demoted. He was traded in July and made four starts in the minors — all wins. Detwiler fell to 0-4 in eight career appearances at Texas, including four starts.
UP NEXT
Athletics: RHP Andrew Triggs (0-1, 5.50 ERA) is in his eighth stint with Oakland this season. He has two starts among his first 20 appearances, including a 9-6 loss to Baltimore last week.
Rangers: RHP Lucas Harrell (3-2, 4.20 AL/NL) is scheduled for his fourth start with Texas while facing the prospect of being replaced in the rotation by Derek Holland, who is eligible to return from the 60-day disabled list Saturday following a bout with left shoulder inflammation.