Gray pitches 8 scoreless innings, Rangers blank A’s

OAKLAND — Jon Gray took a no-hitter into the seventh and finished with eight scoreless innings and the Rangers beat the A’s 5-0 on Saturday.

Ezequiel Duran also connected on a two-run homer in the ninth for the AL West-leading Rangers, who are 24-15 for their best mark through 39 games since going 25-14 in 2013.

Gray (3-1) was magnificent despite another small crowd of 8,230 at the Coliseum. The 31-year-old right-hander retired 20 of the first 22 batters he faced and worked around a pair of walks while dominating the worst team in baseball.

Gray set down the first two batters in the seventh before the light-hitting Jace Peterson slapped a single to right for the A’s first hit. Peterson was later thrown out sliding into home trying to score on a relay throw from second baseman Marcus Semien following Ramón Laureano’s double.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay challenged that catcher Sandy León blocked the plate but the call was upheld after review.

John King worked the ninth inning for Texas to complete the five-hitter.

The win came less than 24 hours after the Rangers lost their second in seven games on Brent Rooker’s game-ending three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th. Texas has not lost back-to-back games against AL West opponents this season.

This one was a combination of Gray’s dominance and Texas’ timely offense.

Semien singled leading off the game, stole second and third then strolled home when Lowe poked a one-out single to left.

The former A’s shortstop later drove a sacrifice fly to deep center, scoring Josh Smith. Smith doubled and was sacrificed to third.

Texas did all of its scoring off A’s starter James Kaprielian (0-3), who was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas before the game. Kaprielian allowed six hits and three runs in seven innings.

GREAT CATCH

Peterson made a spectacular catch while running over the bullpen mound in foul territory before falling over a soft-cushioned wall near the stands.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: Smith left the game with left foot soreness. He was taken for X-rays, which were negative.

Athletics: The team is still awaiting word on rookie Mason Miller’s condition after the right-hander received a second opinion on his right forearm tightness injury that landed him on the Injured List earlier this week. … RHP Spencer Patton was designated for assignment to make room on the roster.

UP NEXT

Rangers LHP Andrew Heaney (2-3, 5,26) faces Oakland for the second time this season in Sunday’s series finale. He had six strikeouts in six innings and got the win in Arlington on April 22. LHP JP Sears (0-3, 5.54), whose turn in the rotation was pushed back a day by the arrival of Kaprielian, goes for the A’s.