DeGrom strikes out 8, allows 1 hit in 7 shutout innings as the Rangers beat the A’s 8-1

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jacob deGrom allowed a second-inning single in seven shutout innings while bouncing back from one of his worst major league starts, and the Texas Rangers beat the Athletics 8-1 on Monday night.

Brandon Nimmo had two hits, two RBIs and scored a run, and Justin Foscue added a solo home run for the Rangers (68-70), who trail Cleveland by 1 1/2 games in the race for the final AL wild-card spot.

Lawrence Butler led off the second inning with a sharp hit to right field off DeGrom (10-9), who struck out eight and faced the minimum 21 batters in his seven innings. After his leadoff single, Butler was retired on an inning-ending double play. The 38-year-old right-hander was coming off an outing in which he matched career highs by allowing six runs in the first inning and eight total in 3 2/3 innings last Tuesday at the Chicago White Sox.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner is 7-2 at home this season with a 2.42 ERA, compared to 3-7 with a 5.86 ERA away from Globe Life Field. In his previous home start, deGrom allowed one hit in six shutout innings against Washington while matching a season high with 10 strikeouts.

Rookie Gage Jump (6-9) allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings for the Athletics (53-85), who have lost four straight. They finished August 8-20, their worst performance in the month since going 7-21 in 1978.

Nimmo – one of two left-handed hitters in Texas’ starting lineup against the left-handed Gage – scored in the Rangers’ two-run second inning after leading off with a swinging-bunt single that Jump bobbled. He singled home Corey Seager – the other lefty – in the third inning and brought home Ezequiel Duran with a sacrifice fly in the three-run fifth.

Foscue hit his 10th homer leading off the fourth.

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Carlos Cortes singled off Ben Peoples to begin the Athletics’ ninth and scored on Darell Hernaiz’s sacrifice fly.

Up next

Rangers LHP MacKenzie Gore (7-10, 4.40 ERA) is scheduled to start against Athletics LHP Brady Basso (0-1, 4.50) on Tuesday.

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