Source: Oakland Tribune

Josh Reddick's final push for an All-Star berth got off to a nice start Thursday night when he homered in his first at-bat.

His teammates jumped in on the long-ball act, but the A's pitching staff couldn't hold up its end of the bargain in a 7-6 loss to the A.L. West-leading Texas Rangers.

The A's had a golden opportunity in the ninth inning, putting runners on the corners with one out off Texas closer Joe Nathan. But Seth Smith struck out and Brandon Inge grounded out to end a remarkably tedious 3-hour, 54-minute affair.

Still, there was enough offense to win. The A's (37-40) banged out 12 hits and homered three times.

But things unraveled in the bottom of the fifth, when A's starter Tyson Ross and reliever Jim Miller couldn't hold a 4-2 lead.

Ross (2-8) was pulled in the fifth after allowing a walk and two singles to start the inning. The last hit was Elvis Andrus' infield single that scored a run to pull Texas to within 4-3.

"Going out in that inning with the lead, it's his game," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Ross. "(If) he shuts them down that inning, that's what he needs to go out there and do, not put guys on base."

But Miller, who took the loss Tuesday against Seattle after relieving Travis Blackley, allowed consecutive walks to Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre to force in the tying run. Miller retired the next two batters before David Murphy's two-run single made it 6-4.

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