The Athletics suffered a 9-3 loss to the Texas Rangers on Saturday at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, but the game’s most memorable moment came from Athletics left fielder Carlos Cortes’ amazing catch.
In the sixth inning, Cortes robbed Kyle Higashioka of a potential home run on a ball hit with an exit velocity of 98.4 mph, a launch angle of 27°, and a projected distance of 370 feet. The at-bat came with a 1-1 count and no outs, following a similar feat by Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford in the fifth against Darell Hernaiz.
Cortes with the robbery!! pic.twitter.com/gdgPKUmeXU
— Athletics (@Athletics) August 31, 2025
The Rangers, now 70-67 on the season, scored first in the top of the second inning. Singles from Adolis García, Josh Jung, and Kyle Higashioka set the table, and rookie Michael Helman doubled to center to score two, giving Texas an early 3-0 lead. Josh Jung continued his hot streak with another RBI double in the third, driving in Wyatt Langford for a 4-0 advantage. The Athletics cut into the lead briefly as Lawrence Butler hit his 18th home run and Brent Rooker added his 27th, making it 4-2.
Merrill Kelly (11-7) pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits while throwing just 79 pitches. After surrendering the two solo homers in the third, Kelly retired the next ten batters before Jacob Wilson singled to lead off the seventh. Kelly’s efficient outing helped the Rangers maintain momentum despite playing without All-Stars Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, both on the injured list. Seager had recently undergone an appendectomy, while Semien has been sidelined with a foot fracture since August 22.
Athletics starter Mason Barnett made his major league debut, lasting just four innings while giving up five runs on eight hits. He was lifted after Wyatt Langford homered to lead off the fifth. Hogan Harris and Tyler Ferguson followed in relief. Ferguson, pitching a sweeper at 82.9 mph with a spin rate of 2,627 rpm, held the Rangers scoreless in the sixth.
Sean Newcomb entered in the seventh and saw the Rangers extend their lead to 7-2, thanks to a combination of doubles from Joc Pederson and Josh Jung, along with an RBI single from Kyle Higashioka. Carlos Cortes gave the Athletics a boost in the bottom of the seventh, doubling down the line to bring in JJ Bleday, one of the few bright spots in a game controlled by Texas. The Rangers ended the scoring in the ninth with Dylan Moore’s homer off Osvaldo Bido, making it 9-3. Colby Thomas added a pinch-hit single for the A’s, but the rally fell short.
Short-handed without some of their top players, including Seager, Semien, Evan Carter, Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Jake Burger, Sam Haggerty, and Cole Winn, the Rangers have still managed to win six of their last seven games. The Athletics, meanwhile, will look to rebound in the final game of the three-game series tomorrow.
