ARLINGTON, Texas -- Oakland closer Ryan Madson walked from the bullpen into the heart of one of the major leagues best lineups on Friday night.Five batters, all averaging .280 or better, with a one-run lead for Madson to protect. He almost did, but Jonathan Lucroy was the fifth.Lucroys two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning gave the Texas Rangers a 7-6 victory over the Athletics.Madson had struck out the fourth batter in the inning, Rougned Odor, but pinch-runner Joey Gallo stole second base on the third strike.As far as the depth of the lineup and the guys on the bench too, theyre as good as there is in the league, especially with the additions theyve made, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said.He strikes out Odor, whos a great hitter in big situations. There were runners on base, but once he got Odor, I thought we were going to win the game.Instead, Lucroy hit a ground ball inside third base to drive in pinch-runners Delino DeShields and Gallo.I had the big hit, Lucroy said. Look, I was 1 for 5 and I came up to hit with runners in scoring position. I was able to sneak one past the third baseman.Carlos Beltrans one-out double began the winning rally. He, Lucroy and Carlos Gomez, who led off the seventh inning with a home run, all have been acquired since July.Madson (5-6) had his seven blown save in 37 chances.Sam Dyson (2-2), the Rangers fourth pitcher, got the win.The As built a 6-2 lead against Texas starter Cole Hamels on home runs by Khris Davis and Brett Eibner, who drove in four runs.My first at-bat, one out, man on third, opportunity to get a run in there and didnt, Eibner said. That kind of really kind of made me bear down on my approach the next two at-bats. When I got the pitches I wanted to hit, I didnt miss them.Davis homer was his 38th of the season, his eighth in 14 games against Texas and his third against Hamels in only seven at-bats.Hamels allowed six earned runs in six innings. In his last four starts, hes 0-1 with a 10.50 ERA in 18 innings pitched.After Davis homer in the fourth, Ryon Healy hit his second double of the game and scored on Eibners two-out single.Eibners sixth homer came with two outs in the sixth.Hamels was pitching against an Oakland team that scored 43 runs in a four-game sweep at Kansas City.Weve been swinging the bat well, Melvin said. We expect to score some runs. Its just trying to keep these guys from scoring more than we do.TRAINERS ROOMRangers: RF Shin-Soo Choo, on the disabled list since Aug. 16 with a broken left forearm, will begin swinging a bat, but no date has been established for his return. ... RHP Tony Barnette (strained left oblique) is not expected to pitch until the final week of the season.ERASING A RUNTexas had a run taken off the scoreboard in the third inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Ian Desmond hit a slow grounder to shortstop Marcus Semien. Desmond reached first base as Mitch Moreland crossed home plate. However, Desmond was called out because Carlos Gomez slid wide of second base to hit second baseman Joey Wendle.DAVIS STREAKINGKhris Davis has a six-game hitting streak, during which he is 7 for 21 (.333) with three homers and 10 RBI. . As rookie Renato Nunez had his first major league hit, a single, against Hamels in the sixth inning. Nunez is 1 for 8 for Oakland.BELTRAN PASSES GEHRIGCarlos Beltrans two doubles gave him 535 for his career, passing Lou Gehrig for 38th in major league history.UP NEXTAthletics: Rookie RHP Raul Alcantara (0-1, 7.27) will start the second game of the three-game series on Saturday.Rangers: RHP Yu Darvish (5-4, 3.28) is scheduled to pitch on seven days rest. Wholesale Saints Jerseys . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. New Orleans Saints Shirts .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. https://www.saintsjerseyssale.com/ . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. Stitched Saints Jerseys . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. New Orleans Saints Store .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. OGDEN, Utah -- Jadrian Clark had 451 total yards and accounted for two touchdowns, including a 10-yard scoring run with 1:42 left, and Weber State beat Sacramento State 14-7 on Saturday night in a non-conference matchup of two Big Sky Conference teams.Clark was 25 of 35 passing for 380 yards and added 71 yards rushing on 12 carries. Cam Livingston had six catches for 108 yards and Andrew Vollert had 101 yards receiving for Weber State (1-2).Clark completed 4 of 5 passes for 34 yards and had two carries for 29 yards on the 12-play, 87-yard winning drive.Sacramentoo States Allen Perryman recovered a muffed punt on the Wildcats 9 and Demetrius Warrens scoring run on the next play gave the Hornets (0-3) a 7-0 lead with 14:10 left in the first half.ddddddddddddn Weber States ensuing drive, Clark hit Vollert for 39 yards and Livingston for 36 more on the next play. A pass interference call against the Hornets made it first-and-goal from the 7 and set up a touchdown pass from Clark to Drew Batchelor. ' ' '